


Deal of a Lifetime

by spazartist101



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Angst, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Demons, F/M, Fluff, POV First Person, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-05-16 02:38:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 86,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5810305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spazartist101/pseuds/spazartist101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tigris makes a deal to see the realm of humans, and ends up just as bound to the Earl Phantomhive as her new mate is</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Tiger and the Crow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simple introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso!

I walked through the old “graveyard” slowly, thoughts running rapidly and yet not at all through my head. I suppose you couldn’t necessarily call it an actual graveyard though. More like memoirs for damned souls sent here to Hell. I hugged my body as I stopped walking, tilting my head towards the forever darkened sky. It would always be night here, plain and simple as that. I had always longed to see at least one ounce of sunlight though. Pure, radiant sunlight. But the only way I would achieve such a thing was if I made a contract, meaning someone had to summon me. As of late, I’d had no such luck, and it irked me to no end. A small sigh left me as my eyes sealed shut, a cool breeze whisking through the air and raking its fingers in my long, red hair. And it wasn’t the usual red you would imagine when thinking of gingers, it was _blood red._ And I always cherished it.

I began to walk again, my high heels tapping against the cold, hardened ground. I usually preferred to stay in my mortal form. It was more comforting for me that way, and it sure attracted a hell of a lot of attention from the men around here, damned soul or demon. The demons were well aware I wasn’t searching for a mate, but they persisted after my “virtue” nonetheless. It made me laugh to see even the most powerful of demons lust after me.

I walked out of the graveyard towards the mountainous regions, searching for the secret hot spring I had managed to uncover. It was one of the only chances I had to be alone, though there was the occasional spirit or ghoul, but they were easy to keep quiet. A small smirk spread over my face when I found my spot, walking over to the edge of the pool. My smirk spread into a grin when I found it to be as hot as usual, and I soon started stripping out of the form fitting tied vest, skirt, and thigh high boots. I stepped into the water while I looked down at my pale skin, grimy with dirt and blood. Frowning, I quickly dived under the water, hearing a raven croak when I resurfaced. I brushed it off, since ravens were not uncommon in Hell. They were death’s messenger after all, and would often gather in flocks when a new soul entered, which was lately growing more and more frequent. I gently scratched at the dirt and blood, grinning when my skin was its original creamy milk white again. I started to wash the leaves, dirt, and blood out of my hair when something moved out of the corner of my eye, and I froze, my hands still in my hair. I whipped around to see a man standing on the shore with black hair and dark black wings folded against his back, a smirk on his face, and holding _my clothes._

“Fancy seeing the red haired demon in a place like this,” he purred, his head twitching to the side in a bird like motion. I narrowed my now glowing eyes at him.

“Give me my clothes,” I growled, moving slowly closer. He took a step back, still smirking at me.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. T’would be a shame to not see you any longer as you are now,” he purred again, showing no shame whatsoever as his eyes raked over my naked body, which would have been easy for him as the water was only up to my mid-thigh. I growled again, louder now, as I prepared to lunge at him. His smirk morphed into a wicked grin, and I leapt from the water towards him. He dodged easily, but dropped my clothes before catching my wrist and pinning me on my stomach, bending my arm behind my back and making me hiss out a curse. I let out a gasp when he ran a claw straight down the length of my spine, one of my most sensitive spots. I was a tiger after all…

“Corvus…”I snarled, trying to shove the man off to no avail.

“Ah, so you have heard of me,” he purred, his face much closer than I thought. He nipped at my ear, making me shiver, and I bit my lip to hold back a moan.

“Who hasn’t?” I bit out, squirming under him, “the first of the death birds…Hmph. Why were you spying on me?”

“Not spying, simply admiring from a distance,” he corrected, his voice apple honey sweet. Apples were the devil’s fruit for a damn good reason.

“That’s spying you idiot,” I snapped through clenched teeth. He chuckled darkly and nipped my ear again, making a small moan escape. I cursed him a thousand times over for making me produce such a lewd sound.

“Is it really? I see nothing wrong with admiring a beauty such as you,” he answered softly, his breath tickling my neck. I could hear the smile in his voice and I scoffed at him, squirming to get loose again.

“You mind letting me go? I just bathed and I would rather not get dirty again,” I puffed out. Another dark chuckle rumbled through his chest as he started drawing a claw down my spine once more, making my back arch up towards him as though I was a pampered house cat.

“Afraid I can’t do that. You see, there’s another nearing by, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to get caught as you are alone, correct?” he said calmly, dropping his head lower as he twisted my body so I was on my back, though he kept my arm twisted under me. I scowled up at him. Bastard had a point. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes, waiting for whoever was coming to buzz off. The sooner the other person came and left, the faster Corvus would leave.

Clearly didn’t expect it when he kissed me.

My eyes snapped open, and I stared at the death bird as he kissed me, growling low when I felt him smirk. I squeezed my eyes shut, squirming as I struggled to get away from him, and his grip only tightened around my wrist, making me wince. I heard the dead leaves crinkle as something moved over them, and heard the crinkling stop, then move in another direction away from the lake. Corvus pulled away when whatever came by was gone entirely, a wide grin on his face. Damn it all, this guy was actually handsome!

“You can get off me now,” I growled menacingly, my eyes glowing blood red. He chuckled, dropping his head low again, making his lips hover just over my own.

“Now why on earth would I do that?” he asked sweetly, using the apple honey voice again. My eyes narrowed dangerously, and I drew up my knee to hit him where it hurts. Fortunately, I got my target. His eyes went wide for a brief second before he cringed, and I kicked him off, grabbing my clothes and dressing quickly. I yanked on my boots, hissing when they got stuck, but quickly solved the issue and jumped up, growing blackened claws as I prepared to fight him if he touched me as he had again. He laughed wickedly, getting up and brushing himself off after standing up straight. I narrowed my eyes at him, baring my fully extended, dagger-like fangs as I growled. I felt a wave of power wash off me, and I wasn’t even at my full potential. Not even a fraction close.

I watched as Corvus’s eyes widened slightly from surprise before the narrowed again, a wicked grin back on his face as his power molded off of him and licked at the edges of my own. He was stronger than I thought he was…

“Surprised Tigris?” he mocked, moving closer to me. I shifted back, growling more and crouching slightly. He simply laughed at me, and I heard the ruffle of feathers before he was standing in front of me, pinning me to a tree I had failed to take account for. He ducked down his head, moving his face close to my own. I squirmed, trying to get away from him by any means necessary. He chuckled at my feeble attempts, keeping me caged by his arms, legs, and wings. He furled them around the both of us as he kissed me again, enclosing me entirely. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed on his chest, trying to get him to move away, even when my knees began to shake. He smirked into the kiss, and I felt sick to my stomach. I let out a low hiss when he bit my lip hard enough to make it bleed, and I finally managed to shove him away from me, wiping the blood from my mouth.

“You better pray to God himself my father doesn’t maim you for touching me,” I ground out, even though I was smirking, licking the blood from my lip. He simply laughed at me, unfazed.

“Ah, yes. I had nearly forgotten you were the Devil’s own kin,” he sighed, though he was still smirking. He moved close to me again, pinning me to the tree once more as I had tried to back away from him again.

“Let me make you a deal; become my mate, and I’ll let you see the human world.” He was going to do what?

I stared up at him with wide eyes, shock written all over my face. He chuckled and brushed my bangs away from my right eye, but I slapped his hand away and let my hair fall back into place. He chuckled again, moving his face closer.

“Think about it. If you become mine and mine alone, then you won’t have to deal with anymore demons coming after you, and you could come with me to the world of mortals. You’ll finally be able to see the sunlight, which I _know_ you’ve wanted to for decades now,” he purred, ducking his head low and nuzzling my neck. I shivered at the contact.

“Exactly how long have you been watching me?” I growled, though it sounded more like a purr. This man was obviously starting to affect me…

“A few weeks. I _am_ a raven after all. I know how to spy on others.” I scoffed at him, flinching slightly when he slid a hand down my side.

“That’s usually Lamia or Serpens’s job. What business does a raven have on spying the Devil’s daughter?”

“You simply…caught my interest, as it were,” he grinned, taking a lock of my hair and inhaling deeply, pressing it to his lips and turning his heated gaze to my face. I felt my face grow warmer than usual. Sure, I’d gotten advances from demons before, but they were nothing like this…

“If you need time to think on it, then I wish for your answer in a week’s time, agree—”

“I’ll do it,” I interrupted. I would do just about anything for even a glimpse of the human world, and if I had to mate with this man to do it, then so be it. I watched his face grow shocked for a split second before a wide grin spread over his face. He pulled me close to him once more, crushing his lips over mine quickly before letting me go and disappearing. I could still hear his voice as he vanished, his message ringing in my ears.

“I will meet you here tomorrow evening. Till then, Ms. Tigris…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awawawawa, another fic!  
> I honestly like this one, and I really need to get back into it. Guh. Feel free to kick my ass if I don't update fast enough.  
> Also, before anyone bitches at me for it, YES I am using the same plot, and dialogue, right from the books/anime. Some stuff is changed, but most situations remain the same, just has extra and changed because extra person. Please no hate  
> The first chapter is a bit slow, but I promise it'll get better (hopefully)


	2. Going Top-side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to go to the surface

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso!

_Can’t believe the bastard actually kissed me…_ I grumbled in my head as I walked back to Hell’s main palace. I sighed, stopping in front of the looming black doors before pushing them open, bracing myself for my three brothers; Volpes, Scorpio, and Draco. I knew before they even showed up in the main hall that they smelled Corvus all over me, and knew exactly what they would say, since they had already found their “mates” a long time ago. I froze in the main hall as they rushed down from their perches to flock around me, keeping myself stoic with my expression blank and my arms crossed over my chest. Draco was the first to speak, a small puff of smoke leaving his lips as he chuckled.

“Looks as though our baby sister has finally found herself a mate,” he rumbled as he grinned widely, his canines long and sharp, and his long, forked tongue snaking from between his lips, giving his rumbling voice a slight, low hiss. His wings hung limp behind his lean form, his skin a pale white with a green tinged tone, and small horns sprouted and curved from his forehead. His bright, golden eyes, which could either smolder or freeze a person, were filled with mock delight and mischief, the pupils their usual small slits.

“She reeks of that raven…Corvus was it?” Volpes mused, his lips pulling back to show his extended canines in clear distaste. His cold grey eyes were narrowed at the smell, his tail flicking in irritation behind him. I swallowed the chuckle bubbling to the surface, since his tail was so fluffy. He saw me swallow, and his fur bristled in further annoyance. He always knew when I was laughing at him, and if his eyes didn’t catch it, his ears did. He folded his arms over his chest as he glared at me, his blackened claws tapping against his arm.

“Corvus? Why on earth would she choose the Death Bird?” Scorpio clicked. Out of all my three brothers, he had to be the ugliest. He had two sets of eyes, four on each side of his head, and they looked so black you couldn’t see his pupils. He had gruesome looking mandibles that extended from his jaw in replace of a normal mouth, which made everything he said sound like a “click”. Loud, harsh, and positively grating. He had large claws that extended under his normal arms, looking just like one would imagine should they think of a scorpion, and they snapped whenever he was irked, or pleased. Judging from the snaps he was making right now, he was both. From the waist down, he had the body of a scorpion, making him hard to fight. Unless, of course, you had a giant hammer. Or you were my father, who I could smell coming down to the entryway already.

Volpes suddenly wrapped his arm around my shoulders and poked my cheek, knowing full well how much it annoyed me.

“Why the frowning face, baby sister?” he purred, still poking me. I swatted his hand away and shoved him off, scowling more.

“Knock it off, _brother._ I have no mate yet, and you are all well aware I never will claim one,” I growled, moving away from the three and leaning against the stair rail, my arms crossed again. He only laughed at me, the annoyed twitch of his tail changing to one of mischief, which was never good for anyone involved.

“You smell of him enough. You must have mated with Corvus!” he barked out, grinning broadly. I opened my mouth to snap back when the clacking thumps sounded on the stairs, growing louder and louder until the stopped right beside me. I closed my mouth, my muscles tensing before an extremely large hand landed on my shoulder. The smell of brimstone flooded the air next me, and I had a difficult time hiding the smirk on my face, knowing my brother would be scolded again.

“Volpes, stop teasing your sister. You know she may choose who she will and when she will,” my father grumbled deeply. I quickly glanced over at him to see a flash of his burnt red skin, large horns coming from his forehead and curling like a ram’s. Unlike most folklore, he had no goatee, and his skin was scaly in patches. His eyes were like a serpent’s, a fierce yellow with slits that changed size depending on his mood. His mouth was closed, but he had two rows of razor sharp teeth in the second, though they were small and could easily be hidden behind his first row, which seemed human, excluding his sharpened canines dripping with a deadly venom. His coal black hair was slicked back, and I unfortunately had the pleasure of knowing exactly what he used to do it. From the waist down, he had the body of a brown goat, cloven hooves and all. The only difference was his tail was serpentine instead of a goat’s. He had long, spindly fingers, though they were large, and his clawed hand easily covered my entire shoulder. He was extremely tall, reaching seven feet…when he was hunched over. It was no wonder he was the king of Hell.

“Father…” Volpes muttered before quickly moving into a bow. Satan exhaled, a long stream of smoke leaving his nostrils. He waved his hand to my brother’s, and they quickly evacuated the room, leaving me alone with my father. The hand tightened around my shoulder, and I turned to face him.

“Hello father,” I said, smiling lightly up at him. He exhaled again as a smirk spread to his features, the closest thing to a smile he had without looking like he was plotting to take another soul. He enveloped me in his arms, giving me a tight hug, and I hugged him back before pulling away to look at him, my smile vanishing as I turned serious.

“Father, I have—”

“I already know what you plan to do,” he grumbled resting his hands on my shoulders, “Corvus isn’t the only one with eyes in the skies around Hell.” I winced, clenching my jaw as I tried not to bare my teeth at him from annoyance.

“And I have no objections,” he continued, moving one of his hands to my back and gently pushing me forward and up the stairs to walk. Shock flashed over my features before I controlled it and made my expression go blank.

“You mean…I can go?” I asked slowly and hesitantly. He huffed at me, walking next to me as we started to wander upstairs and through the halls to my room.

“Course I’m letting you go. It was about time you went and saw the human world. Just don’t forget to cause some chaos for me. And don’t forget to claim a few souls. You won’t be coming here as often anymore, so you need to eat them to keep up your strength,” he warned, stopping in front of my room and stooping to my height so he could look me in the eyes, “you are still my daughter, and I’ll not have that brat of a bird bring back your dead or weakened body,” he warned. I beamed up at him before giving him a hug, earning a rumbled chuckle in response as he hugged me back, tucking my head under his chin. I pulled away from him, still smiling.

“Thank you father,” I said, bowing my head quickly. He ruffled my hair and smacked my rear when I turned to go into my room, which I was used to. I was only a few thousand years old after all. The door sealed shut behind me, and I walked over to my bed, sitting down on it and sighing heavily as I held my head in my hands. I was in complete shock that my father had decided to let me actually go. I flopped back with a heavy sigh, spreading my arms and staring up at my ceiling. I was already dreading going back to see Corvus, since I had agreed to become his mate, but I wanted nothing more than to see the world of mortals. I glanced over to see my hands were shaking, and I clenched them shut with a frown. I would be doubled damned if that man tried anything on me, but I honestly had no other choice…

I groaned in annoyance, sitting up once more and holding my head in my hands again. I was too jittery to get any form of sleep anytime soon, so I got up and started wandering through the halls of my home. Eventually I heard footsteps behind me, and I paused, listening for who it could have been. When I heard nothing, I rolled my eyes and started walking again. The footsteps picked up again as well, and I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. I rounded a corner and stopped, waiting for the footsteps to draw near. When I heard nothing once more, I started walking again, keeping myself alert. It had to be my brother’s playing a wicked trick on me again, per usual. You think they would have stopped at their hundredth…

I was suddenly slammed against the wall, the impact knocking the air from my lungs and making me gag. I coughed harshly, opening my eyes into slits to see Volpes’s face close to my own, an angry and possessive glint in his eyes. My own went wide with shock. Just what the heaven was he doing?!

I had my arms pinned above my head, and I struggled to free myself, letting my power rip loose a fraction. His head snapped back as though he’d been slapped, but he quickly shook it off, squeezing my wrists harder before dragging one of his hands roughly down my side, leaving long scratches and tearing my vest. I growled angrily before snapping my grown canines at him, irritated when he moved out of reach. The hand that had gone down my side squeezed my breast harshly, making me wince. He crashed his lips against my own, and I growled even more, struggling to get my leg up to knee him where it hurt most. Unfortunately, I never got the chance.

A loud flap of wings sounded before Volpes was wrenched away from me and thrown into another wall, causing a loud crash and a large hole to appear. I was pulled away from the wall into a pair of arms and enveloped in pitch black wings. I didn’t even have to see the person’s face to know who it was.

“Are you unharmed, Tigris?” Corvus asked as he tilted my face up towards his. I narrowed my eyes at him and tried pushing him away, even though my knees were shaking violently.

“I could’ve managed him on my own,” I growled, still shoving at his chest. He grabbed my hands, pressing his thumbs into my palms and turning up my wrists, showing the bruises Volpes had left on them. I didn’t even have to look down to know what my sides looked like; scratched, bruised, and bleeding.

“You call this,” he started, brushing his fingertips over one of the cuts, “managing him?” I looked away from his face with a wince. Small chunks of the wall fell and crashed onto others, and I looked over Corvus’s shoulder to see Volpes standing up, shaking his head violently to get rid of the dizziness he had, a deep gash on his head. His gaze landed on me, and his lips curled back into a snarl before he lunged, making a grab for me. Corvus quickly dodged him, dragging me along with him, despite my protests to fight back. The smell of brimstone flooded the hall, and I looked up to see my father at the other end, his eyes glowing dangerously red. His shadow of power started to morph and form around him, and Volpes’s ears laid flat against his head as he cowered back, whimpering in surrender. The shadow lashed out like a whip and hit Volpes across his chest, making him yelp as a large gash appeared on his chest. The shadow lashed out again, hitting his rear and starting him down the hall and away from me. Lucifer turned his attention back to me and started walking down the hall towards Corvus and I, the raven setting me down gently, though he kept a steady hand on my waist as he watched my father move closer to us. My father hunched to looked the demon in the eye when he stopped before us, obviously sizing the other up. Corvus only blinked, keeping his expression completely blank. Eventually, my father huffed, letting out a puff of smoke before turning away from us and walking back where he came. The death bird let out a sigh, turning his attention back to me after and picking me up in one scoop, making his way down the halls at a leisurely pace.

“What the heaven do you think you’re doing?!” I snapped, struggling to get away from him, “I can walk perfectly fine on my own!”

“Try saying that again when your knees aren’t shaking,” he replied monotonously. I bit my lip and kept quiet. The pain of what Volpes did settled in soon after, and I bit my lip harder to keep from whimpering. I squeezed my eyes shut, and when I opened them again with a tap on my back, I was in my room. _Bastard really WAS watching me…_ I thought as Corvus set me on my bed. He reached for the cord to my vest, and I slapped his hand away, my eyes wide. He merely sighed in response, reaching for them again after grabbing my wrists gently and pinning them behind me. He pulled my vest off, and I felt my face flush. I tugged my hands loose and whipped them up to cover my chest, my mouth opening and closing as I tried to grasp what to say. He shut my mouth and moved my arms some to get a look at the scratches, gently swiping his thumb over them and making me wince slightly when he pressed too hard. He sat up straight after and brandished a simple needle, sitting on the bed next to me as he repaired my vest and making my eyes go wide again.

“You know you don’t have to do that—” I started before he handed me the repaired article of clothing. I grabbed it and turned my back to him, putting the vest back on before facing him again.

“Uh…Thank you,” I mumbled, rubbing the back of my head awkwardly. He smiled sweetly at me before taking my hand and pulling me up, making me stammer.

“It appears the reason for my going has arrived early,” he said as a rain of feathers swirled around us. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, we were in the shadows of something that smelled dank and earthy…like moss. And probably the most delicious thing I had ever scented in my entire life. I turned my head to see men and women standing in the room, an empty cage, and dead bodies of children in a pile by the corner. There was another child lying on some sort of altar, blood seeping from his chest. The adults gaped at Corvus and I, a few practically beaming while others cowered in shock, one woman covering her nakedness.

“ _I-t’s really come!”_ one man stammered, backing away from us.

“ _Grant me eternal life and wealth!_ ” Another pleaded, spreading his arms wide. Corvus glared at them, keeping his expression steely until his eyes landed on what I assumed he had truly come here for; a small blue-gray haired boy sitting bloodied and filthy in a cage like an animal. Tears were brimming in his bright blue eyes as he stared at us, practically imploring for a chance to escape. A leer spread over the demon’s face as he made his way towards the boy, me following close behind.

“Is this the one?” I asked quietly, my eyes remaining on the boy in curiosity.

“Yes. THIS is the one,” Corvus answered, stopping in front of the cage.

“You have made a great sacrifice,” he started, “you are free to decide whether to make a covenant with me and have your wishes granted or not. The _fee for crossing_ has already been well paid,” he concluded briefly, his tongue drawing out and licking along his canine. The boy gripped the bars of the cage, suddenly clenching them tightly as he found his voice.

“I— I…” he started before clenching his jaw tightly, his head bowing and concealing his eyes, “…I want… _I want power…power to take vengeance on those who put us through all this!!_ ” he finally called. The grouping of people started to grow noisy with fright, unsure of what to do now. It was beginning to annoy me…

“Devil! I’ll make a covenant with you!!” the boy shouted, lifting his head to have his face hold a look of defiance, which made the smirk on Corvus’s face grow wider.

“So you will cast off the light and choose the road to Hell…Fine,” the demon purred, raising his hand and molding shadows around it, “then let us carve the mark of the covenant on our bodies. The more conspicuous its location, the greater the power you will be able to wield,” he explained, “now where do—”

“ _Anywhere will do!_ ” The boy interrupted, reaching a hand out to us, “ _I want more power than anyone else!!_ ” I stared at the child. Such rage in such a confined and miniscule thing. My curiosity was truly peaked. Corvus reached a hand inside of the cage and stroked his thumb under his right eye, wiping the tear there away.

“Your small frame belies your immense greed,” he purred, his hand suddenly flipping up and gripping the child’s face, his palm above the same eye, “well then! The mark shall reside on that great big eye of yours, which reflects a hopeless world!” A sudden bright light engulfed the area, and the only sound heard was the boy’s screams of pain as the covenant was made. I squeezed my eyes shut and shielded them with my arms, letting out a rush of air when the room grew dark again. The other humans cowered in fright, trying to make an escape, before I let out a loud growl, my reddening eyes flashing over to the squawkers.

“You’re not leaving this area alive,” I seethed out, a deadly smirk spreading over my face as my power seeped off of me in a mass, my shadows flickering on their own before lashing out in spikes, stabbing anyone in reach. I soon jumped up, stabbing a human straight through the heart, and the bodies immediately started piling up.

“Oi. Enough,” Corvus called, making me freeze as I came back to my senses. I was still covered in a dark mist as I sobered up and appeared next to the man who brought me to the human realm, standing partially behind him. The boy was out of the cage, his right eye bleeding and looking as though they were only his tears. His expression was a hard set of defiance as he stared at his contractor.

“What is your name?” Corvus purred, the smirk back on his face.

“…Ciel. Ciel Phantomhive. The successor to the title of Earl Phantomhive,” the child answered, his expression remaining the same.

“Fu fu…I see,” the raven cooed, stroking his stained hand in thought, “Very well. Then I must take a form befitting the servant of an Earl.” The man took a step out of the shadows, his appearance changing entirely, and he stepped out fully in the guise of a simple, black clad butler. I remained in the shadows, licking a spot of blood off of my face as I watched him and this…Ciel Phantomhive.

“Now, command me of anything you wish, my little lord,” the older man purred, placing a hand over his heart and bowing before the much younger person. Ciel remained silent before taking a cursory glance at his surroundings, his expression never changing as he stared at the carnage.

“Burn it down. Everything,” he ordered. Corvus nodded in response, picking up the child and creating a larger flame as he waved his hand over a torch. The flame immediately spread throughout the room, and soon the smell of burning flesh spread to my nostrils, making it crinkle in disgust. We three vacated the building, standing back from it as it burned to the ground in silence. I was now cleaning the blood from my hands by licking them clean. Ciel soon looked down at a blue stoned ring in his bloody palm, a deep scowl on his face.

“Those who attempted to ruin the Phantomhive house are somewhere out there,” he started, keeping his eyes on the object, “Aunt Francis told me that the best chance to counterattack is when the opponent makes the first move,” he continued, clenching his fingers around the ring, “The previous Earl lost the game. This time…I won’t lose. As the present head of the Phantomhive family…as Ciel Phantomhive…I will absolutely not lose!” Corvus chuckled at his claim, covering his mouth a bit before I hit him over the head, continuing my cleaning afterwards.

“…What is so funny?” Ciel growled, looking over at the demon.

“No. It is just that you ordered me never to lie, but you yourself are very much a liar,” he purred, tilting his head slightly to the side. The boy glared coldly at him in response before turning away from him again, going silent. Corvus kept silent as well before clearing his throat, putting a polite smile on his face as he held out his hand.

“Well, master,” he started, “let us return to your manor.”

“I don’t know where it is,” the boy responded simply. I snorted in response, rolling my eyes as a look of disbelief crossed over the other’s features, “I don’t know where we are either…I’ve never been outside of the manor much…” the boy mumbled, bowing his head. He started walking towards us after a few moments, his hands clenched at his side, “I have a relative at the Royal Hospital in London. We will go there first.”

“Understood sir,” the black haired man responded, bowing his head before he began walking. I watched for a moment, moving to follow, when Ciel grabbed the tail of the male demon’s coat, stopping him in his tracks.

“Just a moment devil,” he huffed, standing still, “What is your name?” Corvus smirked, bowing his head lightly.

“You may call me whatever you please, master,” he answered simply, smiling politely again.

“Then…Sebastian. You are Sebastian as of today,” the boy concluded, the two now facing one another. Something was odd about how quickly he picked that name…

“Very well,” “Sebastian” answered, bowing his head again, “then please address me as Sebastian from now on. Was this the name of your former butler, sir?” he asked, the boy shaking his head in response.

“No… _it was the name of my dog_.” I immediately started laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, i know, her brother's are assholes. and Volpes is just a giant dick. MOVING ON.  
> Aaah, I enjoyed getting her out to the real world. Look forward to more!


	3. Payment is Due

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso!

Sebastian sent me a steely glare as I laughed harder than I had in years, even so much as falling onto the ground and holding my stomach, “H-he called you his DOG!!” I stammered out, my eyes starting to water, “the first of the death birds, dropped down to the measly pet of a mortal boy!! Ooooh, the people who would _love_ to hear thi—!” I started howling before Sebastian clamped a hand over my mouth, his eyes narrowed dangerously. Ciel merely stared, raising a brow in suspicion at me.

“Sebastian. Explain yourself, now,” he ordered, keeping his eyes on me, “who is this woman...?” he questioned further, his expression turning into one of irritation.

“This is my mate. We made our own deal so she would be such, to which she willingly obliged,” he answered, smirking slightly as he hauled me back onto my feet, my body still shaking with laughter.

“Does she have a name?” the boy asked, still keeping his eyes on me.

“She does, though demons do not give out their name at the drop of a hat,” Sebastian explained, wincing slightly as I bit his hand to get it off my face, “you will have to find a name for her as well.”

“…Does she have an opinion of her own? She is not immediately bound to my word as you are. I will allow her to voice her opinion freely,” the boy huffed. We both blinked at him before I smirked, biting the other demon’s hand again and making him let out a hiss as he pulled away, showing his now bleeding palm.

“I like this kid,” I purred, grinning wickedly as I licked a drop of blood off my lip, “alright, then I will choose Cassandra, deal?” I asked, holding my hand out to the boy. He merely looked at it before letting out a puff of air.

“Change your clothes. What you’re wearing is too risqué,” he grumbled, narrowing his eyes on me. I blinked at him before my brow twitched in annoyance. Okay, he could be a brat.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, I snapped my fingers, Sebastian quickly covering the boy’s eyes as my clothes melted away and were replaced with a maid’s uniform. The dress was black and puckered around the shoulders to flare out into ruffles at the top, keeping my shoulders exposed. A white apron went around my neck and looped back as well as tying around my waist, and black Victorian shoes rested on my feet, heels of course. The dress reached to my knees, and it felt odd, different even, at how loose the skirt felt around my legs, even with the stocking barrier. I crossed my arms and cocked my hip, biting my cheek in a pout.

“Better?” I huffed. The child pushed his servant’s hand away from his face, looking me up and down before nodding in agreement, turning on his heel after to start walking. We continued to travel until our little troupe made it to the hospital in question, the boy going up to the front desk and beginning to ask if his aunt was in when a loud crash sounded, catching all of our attentions. On the ground a few feet from us was a man who had fallen out of his wheelchair, a look of disbelief on his face as he reached out for the boy. Apparently they knew each other, since Ciel dashed over to the elder.

“Old man Tanaka!” he called, wrapping his arms around the old man’s neck tightly when he reached him.

“Young master…Young master!” the man called back, tears of joy brimming in his eyes as he embraced the boy back, “I am glad…I am so very glad to see you alive…!” I had to hold back from making a snide remark about the oh-so-tearful reunion, crossing my arms over my chest and keeping dead silent. We were brought to Tanaka’s room moments later, but I completely ignored the conversation as I looked outside the window, watching the people wander by on the busy streets. I was soon going into a daze as I remembered the taste of all those souls I had devoured during that massacre, and a sharp breath left me when Sebastian shook my shoulder to get my attention. Thankfully he caught my hand before I slashed his eyes out.

“Cassandra, we are leaving for another room to let the man rest,” he explained. A shaky sigh left me, and I nodded in understanding, bowing to the old man on the bed as I proceeded to exit the room. We left the hospital and started making our way to a different building, all of us keeping a heavy silence in the carriage. The vehicle stopped in front of a manor, and we were led inside to wait for this boy’s aunt, residing in the lounge. A woman with hair as red as my own, though not nearly as long, dashed into the room a few minutes later, a look of disbelief on her own face as she held Ciel’s small head in her hands, tears filling her eyes as she took in his appearance. She soon hugged him tightly, muttering similar things as Tanaka had said, tears of joy falling down her own face. The blue-gray haired child kept his face blank, hesitantly hugging her back while Sebastian and I stood back and merely watched by the window. We didn’t remain with the doctor long, and Ciel was given a coat to keep him warm, though he wore little more than rags.

“Thank you for even seeing to a carriage for me, Auntie An,” Ciel mumbled as we stood outside, the woman resting her hands on the boy’s shoulders.

“Are you really going?” she asked, moving her hands to cup his face, “why not stay with me toni—”

“No. I’m going,” the young male interrupted, “I want to see it with my own eyes.” The woman sighed, making no further argument as she hugged him close again, pulling away soon after and lifting his hand to place something in it.

“Ciel, take this,” she sighed, pulling her hand away to reveal a gold ring resting in the boy’s palm, “everything else was destroyed in the fire. This is all that was left.”

“…Thank you,” Ciel mumbled, nodding once before I helped him inside the carriage. He crawled onto my lap when we were settled inside, and I raised a hand to softly stroke his hair. The gesture seemed to comfort him, since he moved his head to rest on my shoulder, going dead silent again. Another heavy silence settled over all of us until the carriage stopped in front of our destination faster than I had thought. I must have spaced out of reality without even realizing.

The carriage rolled away when we were all out, all three of us staring up at what remained of the burnt and charred mansion.

“This…is quite dreadful,” I mumbled, frowning a bit at the crumbling structure. Ciel’s eyes were wide with shock as he stared, soon turning on his heel and walking in a different direction. I blinked, Sebastian and I glancing at each other briefly before following the young Earl, arriving at a family graveyard. We both peered past the gate to see the child standing in front of two gravestones. He remained completely still for but a moment before collapsing onto his hands and knees and bowing his head.

“Father…Mother…” he mumbled. Sebastian and I glanced at each other before I sighed, waving him off to do what he needed to the building before approaching the child, crouching down next to him. He glanced over at me as he sat back, still on his knees as he stared at the markers.

“I suppose I could relate,” I finally said, moving to sit down and hug my knees to my chest, “I lost my mother when I was about your age. Granted that was eons ago…” I chuckled lightly, letting out another sigh after, “I’m always afraid I’ll forget what she looked like, and it sort of scares me…” I let out another sigh, resting my chin on my knees. Ciel remained quiet, keeping his eyes on me before he leaned over, resting his head on my shoulder. I blinked, raising my head and looking down at him. A small smile spread across my face as I moved an arm up, wrapping it around his shoulders and holding him close. We remained in silence, I letting the boy mourn, until Sebastian came to get us.

“Young master,” he said softly, both of us looking over at him, “the sun will set soon. The night air will be harmful to your health,” he explained. Ciel sighed, pulling away from me and pushing himself up off the ground.

“There’s a place nearby which is both a pub and an inn, so let’s go there for the night—”

“No,” Sebastian interrupted, holding a finger in front of his lips as he grinned at us, “there is no need for that.” We both stared at the demon butler in confusion, glancing at each other and following after him. We soon stood in front of the now completely repaired mansion, Ciel’s eyes going wide once more in shock.

“This can’t be…” he mumbled.

“I swore to you, did I not?” the black clad butler purred, “I will not lie to you,” he concluded, beginning to make his way up the stairs.

“H-how is this even..?” Ciel stammered, following after him, and I followed up after them. I had to admit, I was pretty impressed with how short a time it took.

“I am a butler to an Earl. It goes without saying that I can manage something of this level,” Sebastian answered simply, bowing his head as he reached the door, “and an Earl must live in a grand castle. Come,” he paused, pushing the doors open, “this is your castle from this day forth.” Ciel stared in awe, standing completely still before taking a single step forward, though that could also be accounted for my pushing him to do such, my own grin plastered onto my face.

“Welcome home, young master~”

~Two Years Later~  
I sighed, leaning against the wall after I finished cleaning one of the rooms in record time. I closed my eyes for a brief moment and thought back to everything that had happened over the past two years. Everything had seemed to pass by so quickly; Ciel had gone under training to be a proper Earl, even though he was so young, and Sebastian and I trained as well to fit the image as the butler and maid of someone with such a high standing in society. We had even gained three new helpers, who usually weren’t of much help at all, and I spent more than half of my time cleaning up after their messes. Letting out another weary sigh at the memory of the first days of utter chaos, I soon opened my eyes again to find Sebastian standing in front of me, a smirk on his face. I flinched back, cursing at myself for not being more careful, and for forgetting that I really couldn’t move anywhere since I only shrank further against the wall. His hands shot up and slammed against the wall on either side of my head and caging me further, his shoulders hunching as he moved his face close to my own.

“I wonder what’s taking you so long, Cassandra,” he purred, his face dropping lower so he could brush his lips over my neck and make me shiver.

“W-what on earth are you talking about?” I bit out, keeping my gaze away from his. He simply took my chin and made me look at him.

“I think you know _exactly_ what I’m talking about,” he growled, moving his face close again and nipping my bottom lip. My face flushed, and I squeezed my eyes shut, swallowing thickly to hold back a moan.

“You agreed to be my mate if I took you here. I’ve done my end of the bargain, now it’s your turn,” he continued, his hand pushing up the hem of my dress till it was at my hip. He ran his other hand down my spine, making me shiver and arch towards him. He smirked more at me, ducking down to plant kisses over my neck and pressing his thumb into my hip. I bit my lip till it bled, my knees beginning to shake. I mustered up the strength I needed to push him back, skirting away from him after and fixing my clothes. He scowled, reaching for me, and I sent him a cold glare of my own. He drew his hand back, his face falling slightly, and I let out an annoyed sigh, lashing out my hand and grabbing his wrist to yank him towards me and kiss him roughly. His eyes were wide when I pulled back, his jaw going slack in shock. I grinned, raising my other hand and tapping his nose.

“Not in broad daylight with other people in the house. Besides, knowing you, we would just end up destroying the room, even though I just cleaned it,” I snickered, turning to leave the room. He wrapped an arm around my waist and grabbed my wrist, pulling me back for another kiss and growling his answer against my lips.

“You have no idea.” I grinned, nipping his lip before pulling away, but his hand still kept itself wrapped around my wrist. I turned back to him, trying to free my hand with a pout, and he smirked.

“I’ll meet you in the woods tonight then,” he purred, that devilish smirk playing about his lips, “if we happen to break anything, there will be a thunderstorm to cover it up,” he chuckled, kissing the palm of my hand before letting me go, smirking as I left the room. I walked down the hall when I heard the bell to Ciel’s office ring. Checking the watch I had, I groaned when I saw it was time for his tea. I rushed down to the kitchen and grabbed a tray, placing it on the cart and waiting for the water to boil. Sebastian wasn’t the only one who trained, but luckily I had learned faster than him, mainly from watching his mistakes. When the water was the perfect temperature, I placed the pot and a tea cup and saucer onto the tray, as well as a slice of blueberry tarte, bringing the tea to Ciel’s office. I knocked on the door three times, waiting for permission to enter from my little Lord.

“Come in,” Ciel called monotonously. I opened the door and walked into the room, letting out a small breath of triumph when I saw I had beaten Sebastian to the punch today. Ciel glanced up from his paperwork at me, sitting up a tad when I brought over his tea.

“Today’s tea is a fine blend of citrus fruits and strawberries with a small dash of blueberry. It deemed appropriate for the season, yes?” I said as I poured him a cup. He took it from me when I handed it to him, sniffing the brew before taking a small sip. I saw his muscles relax when he swallowed, and he looked up at me after.

“It tastes delectable. Thank you Cassandra,” he said quietly, looking back to his paperwork afterwards. I bowed my head in response.

“Is there anything else you would require, young master?” I asked. He glanced up again before setting down the papers in clear annoyance.

“Nothing more. You may go,” he said, taking another sip of tea. I bowed again, leaving the room with the cart after. I couldn’t help but think back to what Sebastian had said as I closed the door, and my face warmed when I thought of what we would actually do. I sighed, pulling my hair back and tying it with a ribbon before moving on down the hall, smirking when I saw Sebastian pass by. I knew he would smell the tea on me, and from the look on his face, he clearly did. I bit my lip to keep from laughing as he sighed and moved in a different direction from Ciel’s office. Just as I was moving down the hall back to the kitchen, a large explosion sounded from my destination. I groaned, dreading what I knew I would find as I made my way down there. Sebastian was already there, shaking his head slowly, and I slapped my forehead when I saw the kitchen black from soot from the bomb creation Bard had just made. He grinned cheekily at the both of us, giving a thumb’s up.

“Dinner is prepared!” he barked out, still grinning. I couldn’t help but slap my forehead again. The bell to Ciel’s office rang again, and I turned to go there when I saw Sebastian was already gone. I pouted, turning back to the mess in front of me.

“All right, you mangy git, get up off the floor and help start cleaning the place up,” I barked. Bard jumped then went to set off to work, grabbing a bucket and brush and filling it with water. I grabbed one as well and told him to do half while I took care of the other, my half of course finishing long before his was done. A scream sounded from another area of the manor, followed by the sound of something breaking, and I let out an annoyed tick through my teeth, going on to investigate what had happened. Meyrin was on the ground, broken china littering the floor around her. I growled, grabbing a broom and handing it to her after she got up.

“Clean this up! Spit spot, hurry it up now!” I ordered, clapping my hands for emphasis. She jumped, nodded, then started sweeping up the mess. I ran out to see if anything was wrong with the garden, knowing when one thing went wrong, everything did, and I could see Finny spraying weed killer on the plants. The top of the container was shaking, so I ran over and slapped my hand down on it, fixing the problem of the shaking but making Finny jump.

“Blimey, Cassie, you scared the livin’ daylights outta me!” he blurted out, shutting off the machine. I sighed. It was too hard to be mad at the boy, no matter how much destruction he caused.

“Just be more careful. The top of the container was shaking, so I would try and refrain from using it,” I warned. He nodded eagerly, saluting me before getting back to work. My ear twitched when I heard the washer finish, and I walked back inside to grab the garments and hang them out to dry. I checked my watch when I was done with that, walking back inside to go help Sebastian prepare dinner.

“Tonight’s dish is chicken Marengo, and for dessert a peach melba,” Sebastian said, not even looking up as I walked into the room. I nodded, tying the apron tighter around my waist and setting to work on preparing the dessert portion of the meal. We finished right on schedule, and Sebastian brought out the meal for Ciel while I kept busy trying to keep the dessert cool. He came back into the kitchen fifteen minutes later and took the treat, brushing past me, most likely on purpose, as he exited the room. I pouted at him, leaning back against the counter for a moment before going outside to check on the garments I had hung. They were completely dry, so I took them down and brought them inside after folding them. Sebastian had already cleaned up the kitchen, and Meyrin, Bard, and Finny were all sitting in stools, eating their own meal.

“Ah, Cassie! Come eat with us!” Finny called, waving me over. I smiled, but shook my head slowly.

“Unfortunately, I must decline. Still have much more work to do,” I lied, shrugging my shoulders as a way of apology. Bard scoffed at me.

“You work too damn much,” he said, slapping his hand against the counter. I chuckled at his childish reaction to my statement.

“You should take a break at least once in awhile, love,” Meyrin said, patting the stool next to her. Tanaka remained as small as usual, sipping his tea and huffing out a small laugh. I giggled, bowing my head again in apology.

“Forgive me, but I must disagree. You see, I am merely one hell of a maid,” I answered before leaving the room. Sebastian was busy giving Ciel a bath, so I cleaned up the child’s room, picking up anything out of place and choosing what he would wear the next day. The bathroom door clicked open, and I quickly left the room, giving Ciel some privacy before making my way to my own private (meaning my shared room with Sebastian) quarters. I had only just taken the apron off when someone’s arms snaked their way around my waist. I let out a low hiss when Sebastian nipped my ear.

“I could have taken that off for you, you know,” he purred. I could hear the smirk in his voice, clear as day. I took a glance outside to see large black clouds rolling in the distance and steadily growing closer.

“Are you sure it’s just a thunderstorm?” I asked hesitantly, earning a chuckle.

“What will it matter? We’ll be busy with….other things,” he purred again in response, nuzzling my neck affectionately. I rolled my eyes at him, pulling back with a yawn.

“You know, I’m feeling rather tired. Another time perhaps—” I was interrupted when Sebastian pulled me back again to him, crushing my body against his as he kissed me deeply. My eyes went wide, and my face flushed a dark red when he pulled away, smirking.

“You’re not getting away that easily,” he grinned, pointing down to my hands. I looked down to see them cuffed. My face paled, and the color went right back when he picked me up and put me over his shoulder. My mouth opened and closed as incoherent words left my mouth, but they stopped dead in my throat when we entered the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehe, another chapter is up!  
> Not much to say about this one, but juat a small warning; the next chapter will contain smutty goodness.  
> Also going to warn about my shitty smut writing. It has gotten a LOT better, but I never got back to editing the next chapter well enough so....yea. Sorry


	4. Paid in Spades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Payment is due, and now is the time to deliver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso!

Sebastian set me down when we were far enough away from the mansion, though he kept my wrists bound as we walked even further, a finger hooked around the chain between the cuffs to keep me following. Eventually, we stopped, and he snapped his fingers, the shackles vanishing completely. I quickly whipped around and prepared to make a run for it, not even taking one entire step when his fingers wrapped around my wrist and yanked me back, shoving me up against a tree. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the wind get knocked out of me in one big rush, and when I opened them, I found him looming over me, and he did not look happy in the slightest.

“I did warn you. You won’t be getting away from me this time, Tigris,” he growled. My face flushed when he used my actual name, impossibly so, and I looked away from his heated gaze. Hearing him say my true name in such a manner was…weirdly erotic. I couldn’t help but feel aroused by such things, even when I tried resisting it. A shiver rolled down my spine as his eyes raked over me, and I could only _begin_ to imagine what he would do to me, never mind what would actually happen. My thoughts were interrupted as he grabbed my wrists and pinned them up over my head, his head stooping down after to kiss and nip at my neck. One hand dropped down to the hem of my dress, pushing it up over my thigh until his hand was resting on my hip. My teeth pressed to my bottom lip as the feels of his claws on my skin, and they pressed harder as he dragged the digits back down my thigh. I was damn sure I would end up with scratches, which meant I would need to be careful not to let anything show while I was working around the house. Not that I couldn’t lie about it, but I would prefer to avoid questions.

I flinched as I felt his thumb drag sharply over my thigh, slicing clean through the strap of my garter and causing it to snap back. His fingers tucked beneath one of my stockings after, starting to slide the material down and making me squirm at the caress of his fingers on my skin. He let go of my hands as his own moved further down towards my knee, but for some odd reason I still felt bound, and I quickly turned my gaze up to my hands to find them bound by black vines. My brows furrowed in annoyance as my eyes narrowed on the constraints, giving them an experimental tug, and my breath hissed out as they tightened further around my wrists. Seemed as though he was going to take extra precaution with me this time…

I glanced back down as one of my shoes came off, watching Sebastian lazily toss it aside before finally pulling off my stocking, tossing that aside as well, and uncaring where it landed as he bent his head down to press his lips on my ankle. My face flushed once more as he skimmed them back up my leg, pausing at my thigh to drag his tongue over the scratches he had left, causing me to flinch again at the slight sting. The male moved his hand to my other leg, once again slicing through the garter strap, and I let out a small yelp as it snapped back against my skin. My other shoe was quickly removed, as well as my stocking, and he shifted again to give the same treatment to my other limb. I started to squirm as he nipped his way back up towards my hip, his hands grabbing my dress again and pushing it back up until it showed my bare legs. He continued moving the material up over my stomach, pushing himself up from the ground as he did. My face scrunched up as I was blinded for a moment by my dress going over my head, and I shook it once the cloth was gone. I was tempted to try and make another escape attempt when my hands were free, but it was like the male demon read my mind for my intentions, judging from how he kept a firm hold on my hands as he pulled my dress off entirely, securing my hands again once it was gone and leaving me in nothing by my corset and garter belt. I was well aware he had seen me naked, most likely numerous times before, but I still couldn’t stop the blush as he looked me over, taking his dear sweet time doing so and practically devouring me with his eyes. I tugged at my restraints again, a soft growl beginning to rumble in my throat as the vines once more constricted about my wrists.

“If you stop struggling, I’ll let you go…maybe,” Sebastian purred, his head lowering towards my neck again. I started squirming again as he dragged his tongue slowly over my neck, more specifically over the marks he had left earlier. His hands glided over my sides before one moved around to my back, beginning to undo the cords of my corset and loosen the constricting device. A heavy breath left me once I was able to actually breathe properly, and the male tugged it the rest of the way off before letting it drop to the forest floor, and I now stood in nothing but my garter belt; but even that was soon gone with a slice of his claw through them, much to my dismay. That one had been expensive…

My eyes flickered back up to his face as he leaned down, his hands cupping my breasts and hefting them up. His thumbs smoothed over my skin before he bent further, and I could feel the smirk on his face as his lips brushed over my flesh. I couldn’t stop the whine of desire from escaping me as I felt his claws pricking at my skin, my body arching towards him for more. I had never acted in such a wanton manner before, and I’d be a liar if I wasn’t in utter embarrassed by my own actions. Such things quickly left my mind as I felt his tongue flick against my nipple, goose bumps rising over my skin as my breath came out in a rush. His lips fastened around the bud after, only sending my mind reeling when I felt his teeth grazing the sensitive area, and I instantly felt something leak from my core, making my legs clamp shut before the male could notice; which was obviously the one thing I shouldn’t have, because he sure as hell noticed that.

The male pulled away from my breast, letting my nipple go with an audible _pop,_ and his gaze shifted down to my legs. His smirk only grew before he leaned forward again, once more clamping onto my nipple and sucking roughly, eliciting a load from me as I tossed my head back as far as I could, and I started squirming again as he ran his hands down my sides, his claws scraping over them and leaving red welts all the way down to my thigh. His fingers curled around my knee, pulling my leg up around his waist. My other soon followed, and before I realized I had locked my ankles and yanked the male closer, my hands tugging at the vines again as I let out a whine of complaint. His teeth grazed back up to my neck when I shifted him, leaving more red welts, and my nipple felt wet and tingly and numb all at once. A low chuckle rumbled through his chest, snapping me out of my haze, and I started squirming against the tree to back away from him.

My eyes were glued to his face as he shifted in my hold, hands moving to his jacket to remove it and tossing it lazily aside with my own clothes. I was utterly transfixed, captured solely by his gaze while he pulled off his gloves with his teeth, one hand moving to remove his shirt while the other dragged slowly down my side again, feeling over every curve and making me arch. It felt far different when he was actually touching me, and it was like there millions of tiny bolts of electricity teeming under my skin everywhere he touched. His head moved down to plant kisses over my chest, still working on removing his shirt, even as he started to leave a trail moving down my stomach. Blushing again, I started trying to squirm away from him, knowing exactly where that trail was going, and I froze entirely when he growled up at me in warning, his claws pressing to my thighs before he lifted my legs to rest on his shoulders, his face right in front of my sex and so close I was blushing like mad from embarrassment. My eyes squeezed shut as I turned my head away, not daring to even look to see what he was doing, and they only snapped right back open at the feeling of his tongue dragging over my folds, making my back arch as my hips snapped forward and my head rolled back. I could feel his fingers on my rear as he kept me up, shifting his hold after a moment so his thumbs could spread the lips of my sex, the new experience making me writhe over him.

I clamped my legs shut quickly, well aware of what he planned to do, though he glared up at me in annoyance before holding my knees apart, his palms pressing against my thighs to pin them. I squeezed my eyes shut and tilted my head towards the sky, not daring to look down and see what he was doing. They snapped right back open when he licked my slit, and I let out a small cry, the muscles in my thighs twitching from the instant pleasure I felt. His thumbs gently stroked my inner thighs as he continued lapping my outer folds, making me writhe under his touch. His tongue flicked against my clit, and I let out a low moan, my back arching like a pulled bow. I felt his lips fasten around it, and I arched more, my head rolling back as far as it could when he started sucking on it. He bit it gently, making me let out a yelp, my hips jerking towards him in want. He bit harder, and I cried out, arching my back sharply.

Sebastian chuckled darkly as he released me, standing up straight in front of me. I felt a shiver run down my spine when he licked his lips, slowly pulling off his vest and shirt. I leaned back against the trunk of the tree in support, trying to keep myself up even though my knees were shaking so much. His arms snaked around my waist as he pulled my body up and pressed me against him, the vines constricting my hands vanishing. My hands flew to his shoulders, and I gripped them tightly, breathing heavily. He chuckled again as he picked me up around my waist, his arms still wrapped around me. He leaned forward, setting me on the ground, though I kept a tight grip on his shoulders, and he followed me down easily. He pressed his lips against mine gently, dragging his hand down my side. My body moved against him as my arms moved to wrap around his neck, kissing him back with hunger. A low growl rumbled and vibrated through his chest, sending little bolts of pleasure to my core. His claws dragged down my thigh before his hand curled under my knee, lifting it up and hitching my leg around his waist. My hips rocked slowly against his, earning another growl I felt run throughout his chest. His hips grinded back against my own, kissing me harder and sliding his tongue past my lips. I moaned, my lips spreading instantly to let his tongue in, and we battled against each other for dominance. I had to admit, he was definitely one hell of a kisser…

“Mind your claws, dear,” he growled into the kiss, even though I could still hear, and feel, a smirk in his voice. I hadn’t even realized I had been digging my nails in his back and shoulders. I extracted my claws, my face flushing in embarrassment. He only laughed at my expression, making my blush worse. I looked away from him, biting on my lower lip out of embarrassment, though I soon released it with a gasp as I felt a finger glide over my moist slit, obviously taunting me with the promise of delving between my folds. I bit my lip harder, almost causing it to bleed as I squeezed my eyes shut, my hips involuntarily rocking against his hand. His free hand moved to tilt my face back to his, but I kept my eyes tightly shut, even when he licked my lips to get me to stop biting them. I released my hold, taking in a small breath of air, and he took the moment to press his lips against my own at the same moment his finger slid inside my nether regions. My gasp was stifled when he pressed my tongue down with his, pressing his lips harder against mine. My back arched when he pressed his finger against my walls, curling it and driving it in and out slowly. My hands tangled themselves in his hair, pulling his face closer as I fought back. I moved one of my hands free and dragged my claws up his back, revelling when growls erupted from his throat and vibrated through him. I smirked, but it quickly vanished when he added a second finger. He smirked back at me as he pulled back from the kiss, though he kept his face close enough so I could feel his breath.

I glared up at him, about to add some snide remark before he added a third, nearly driving me insane, especially when he started moving them rhythmically. My body arched against him, my nails digging into his shoulders as he started rubbing my clit with his thumb. A loud clap of thunder roared through the woods, and I opened my eyes to look at the sky as the first drop of rain landed on my cheek. I also noticed the lustful glow in Sebastian’s eyes as he looked down at me. He pulled his hand away from my core, making my back arch as I gave a moan of protest from the vacantness. He only gave a short laugh, bringing his hand up to his lips and licking his fingers clean like a feline, making shivers run up and down my spine and my face to flush dark red. I heard a purr rumble through him as he savored my taste, lowering his face to my own once more to kiss me roughly. I squeezed my eyes shut again, my hands flying to his shoulders and gripping them tightly. He moved my hands from them as he broke the kiss, sitting up and kneeling in front of me. I could hear the sound of his buckle being undone, followed by the sound of his zipper and his pants being tossed at my pile of clothing. I blinked rapidly, trying to at least clear most of my mind before propping myself up on my elbows. My eyes went impossibly wide when I saw he wasn’t wearing anything. He was more gorgeous than I had originally thought, and he was definitely above average. He leaned forward, crawling over me again, and keeping himself propped up on his hands as he kissed me. I closed my eyes as I melted into the kiss, one of my hands resting on the side of his face. He nipped my lower lip while slowly leaning me back again. My hand reached back to embed itself in his mess of black hair, my tongue running over his lower lip. He groaned softly, and I could feel his arousal pressing harshly against my folds. I inhaled sharply, breaking the kiss as my back arched, my whole body tensing. He ran his hands down my sides slowly till they rested on my hips. He started kissing my neck and jaw lightly, whispering for me to relax. I tightened my hold on him, my arms wrapping around his neck, my face buried against it. I could hear his teeth grit together before he started pushing himself in, his grip tightening on my hips. I let out a loud gasp, my toes curling as I felt him push deeper. My back arched against him once more, my claws digging into the skin I could reach on him, though that only seemed to drive him forward. I bit into his neck, earning a low growl before he stopped moving. I had never been touched before, and I had no idea skin to skin contact could be so enticing.

I could feel Sebastian’s panting breaths against my hair, his arms moving so they wrapped around my body, his hands pressing flat against my back and pulling me closer to him. I clung to him, my claws raking over his back and gripping his shoulders tightly. He growled, pulling his hips back slowly and bringing them forward again roughly, hitting all my sensitive spots with dead accuracy. I arched sharply against him, a loud clap of thunder covering up my scream of pleasure. More drops of rain fell, making both of our skins slick with moisture. He continued moving slowly and roughly, his nails digging into my back. One of his hands dragged down my side to my thigh, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper. His other hand tangled itself in my hair, pulling my head back so he could get access to my neck, of which he started biting, kissing, and licking repeatedly as he moved. He started moving faster, and my breaths became shallow and ragged, my moaning becoming louder with each thrust of his hips. He started moving impossibly fast, for me anyway, and I arched sharply again, crying out in pleasure while I threw my head back. My walls tightened more along his steel length, my hips bucking as white light flashed behind my eyes. I felt something in the pit of my stomach burst before warmth spread throughout my core, leaving me shaking. Sebastian growled deeply, and I could feel it run throughout his entire body, vibrating against my own. A shudder ran through the length of his spine as he bit into my neck hard enough to make it bleed. Warmth suddenly spread throughout my entire core as he came, wave after wave of it. I shook violently, clinging to him desperately, whimpering softly as I felt some snake its way out and down my rear. I went limp after we both finished, panting heavily, my hands resting lazily above my head. Sebastian fell on top of me, his breathing ragged and heavy as he tried catching his breath. His head was resting on my bust, and I reached my hands over to it, tangling my fingers in his hair. He looked up at me, moving one of his hands under his chin so it wasn’t digging into my chest, a smirk on his face. He leaned forward, kissing my swollen and reddened lips deeply. He pulled his hips back, leaving my body, and I gave a small whimper at the vacancy, extremely unused to being that full and then empty, though we were both satisfied. For now, anyway.

Sebastian sat back on his heels before standing up, pulling me up afterwards and holding me in his arms like a bride. I rested my head on his shoulder, my hands resting against his chest. He somehow managed to pick up our (drenched) clothes while still keeping a hold on me before he started walking back to the manor. I closed my eyes briefly as I waited, and when I opened them, we were in our room. He set me down on the bed before walking over to the fireplace, laying out our clothes in front of the burning wood before he walked back over to me. I looked up at him, pieces of my hair sticking to my face. He grinned, moving my bangs away from my left eye. I closed my eyes and held his hand, leaning my cheek against it before looking back up at him. He leaned down, brushing his lips lightly against my own in a feather light kiss. I sighed lightly when he pulled away, though he kept his face close for a moment before he walked over to grab two towels, tossing one towards me and wrapping the other over his neck. I unfolded the towel and started drying out my hair, closing my eyes and sighing softly. I let the towel drop to the ground when my hair was dry again, opening my eyes to find Sebastian not where he was when my eyes were shut. I felt lips glide over my bare shoulder, and I turned my head some to find him sitting behind me, his hands resting on my hip and thigh. I smiled lightly, kissing his temple before looking ahead again. His lips brushed against my neck, making me tilt my head to the side. I felt a grin pull over his lips before he tugged me back so we were lying down. He pulled the blanket over the both of us, keeping an arm around my waist, and waiting till the blanket settled before wrapping his other arm around me. I sighed in content, moving closer to him. He was curled up behind me, his head resting behind my shoulder. I chuckled lightly when he blew on the back of my neck before I yawned, drowsiness starting to take a toll on my mind.

“Go to sleep,” Sebastian whispered, moving so he could kiss my forehead. I nodded weakly in answer, holding onto his arms while I closed my eyes. He nuzzled his head against my back, pulling me even closer to him as he started planting kisses over my tendered skin. I smiled, and ending up falling asleep that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohgoditissobadiamsosorry  
> goddammit  
> forgive me, I can write so much better smut these days, I promise


	5. Dinner is Prepared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner for Mr. Chlaus, and an unexpected guest...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso!

I woke up all too soon the next morning, but I strangely felt well rested, especially considering the previous night’s activities. I groaned softly, rolling onto my back as I rubbed the last of my tiredness out of my eyes, looking up after to see Sebastian was already awake and watching me, a small grin on his face. I grinned back up at him before he leaned down and kissed my lips lightly. I kissed him back, my hand resting on the side of his face, and he held my hand there as he pulled back, turning his head slightly to kiss my palm. He sat up soon after, and my face flushed when I saw he was still naked, another reminder of what had occurred. He obviously caught me staring, because his usual smirk spread across his face, making my blush worse.

“Enjoying what you see?” he smirked, leaning his face close to my own. I grit my teeth together and reached behind me, grabbing the pillow there and squashing it in his face. I stood up carefully, keeping the pillow in his face before visibly wincing and sitting back down, pain spiking up and down my legs. The pillow fell back to the bed, showing Sebastian still smirking.

“Feeling all right?” he grinned, nuzzling my neck. I growled and elbowed him in the gut, which only made him chuckle. I growled more before trying to get up again, but more pain spiked through my legs again, and I fell back down. I groaned in annoyance, lying flat on my back with one of my hands on my forehead. He leaned over me, that damnable smirk STILL on his face. It made me want to smack him.  
He brushed my bangs from my face, revealing both my eyes before he kissed my forehead, making my face flush again. He pulled back to look at me again, actually looking…dare I say, _worried._ It was a bit unnerving.

“Are you sure you’ll want to move around today?” he asked, pulling me up against him again. I sighed, leaning back against him, almost wishing we could remain like this all day. Unfortunately we had work to attend to, so I reluctantly pulled away and stood up from the bed, rubbing my thighs to diminish the throbbing pain there.

“I might as well bear with it, seeing as how the Young Master would just throw a hissy-fit if I stayed in bed all day,” I frowned, picking up my now dried clothes from the front of the fireplace and tugging them on. Sebastian quickly followed suit, getting on his own attire before dragging me to him again, kissing me quickly and roughly before going to prepare Ciel’s breakfast. I left the room with him, internally cringing with every step. I shook my head some when I reached the servant quarters, clapping my hands together from the doorway.

“All right you lot, out of bed and dressed! Hup two, get a move on! We have much to do today!” I called before moving on towards Meyrin’s room, knocking on the door before entering and waking her up as well. She started stammering immediately about invading a woman’s privacy, until of course she put on her glasses and saw it was just me, so I assumed she thought I was Sebastian. I scoffed at her as I turned to go back to the first floor, able to hear Ciel getting ready for the day and Sebastian telling him his schedule. The conversation was cut-off by Ciel when he decided to strike up a deal, saying he would do all the “chores” if Sebastian won against a martial arts expert that the young master had brought from China. Everyone stood outside and watched patiently, waiting for the outcome, even though I already knew the demon would win, hands down, which is exactly what happened. Everyone dispersed to do their daily work soon after, with quite the shove from Sebastian and I of course, and my…mate followed Ciel to his office to discuss something. I silently followed, eavesdropping on the miniature group and hearing we would be having a guest at the manor this evening. I grinned as I watched Sebastian exit Ciel’s office, walking up to him from behind and poking him in the back, chuckling when I had managed to startle him. He turned around to glare at me, and I stuck my tongue out at him before moving on to the kitchen, him soon joining.

“So what’s the plan for today?” I asked, rolling up my sleeves and tying my apron tighter around my waist. Sebastian grinned as he clapped his hands together.

“We must take out the china and silver, weed out the garden and prune the silver roses, and make preparations for dinner,” he grinned, tugging on one of his gloves. I grinned back as I set off to work on the garden, removing any wilting roses and noticeable weeds there before moving on to the dining room, taking out the silver and china and shining them both. I could smell the food Sebastian was preparing, and I grinned more before I heard the bell ring for Ciel’s office. I frowned, going upstairs to see what he wanted. Sebastian and I had made it there at the same time, so instead of one backing off per usual we entered the office together, stopping in front of Ciel’s desk.

“What is it sir?” Sebastian asked.

“I’m hungry. I want something sweet, like a parfait,” the young boy answered, his hands folded and holding up his head in his desk. We both sighed.

“No young master. If you have that you will not finish all your dinner,” I interjected, crossing my arms.

“Just make something.”

“I’m afraid not young master,” Sebastian answered this time.

“ _Just make something_.”

“No young master.”

* * *

“…So?” Sebastian started, as we both stared down the servants of the household, “ _What did you do to cause all of this?_ ” we both continued sternly, pointing out the charred black meat, the destroyed tea set, and the dead garden. We had dark smiles on our faces as we waited for the servant’s answer, all three morons cowering in fear of what might happen.

“I was going to spray herbicide after I finished weeding but the lid was open!” Finny sobbed. I slapped my forehead. I knew that sprayer was broken…

“I was going to take the guest tea set out, but I stumbled and fell on the cart…” Mey-rin mumbled, fiddling with her fingers. I noticed that her glasses were now cracked because of the incident.

“Well seeee? There was raw meat lyin’ there, so…I…thought I’d cook it…” Bardroy continued on with the explanations. Sebastian and I sighed in annoyance.

“I see,” he started, “the fault is mine for leaving everything to finish all at once,” he explained, holding up his hand to attempt to calm the servants as they started sobbing for begging for forgiveness.

“J-just please calm down,” I asked, being completely ignored. Giving up on the futile goal, we turned to each other and began discussing what to do. There was now a garden without a hint of greenery, a shattered tea set, a charred main course, and Mister Chlaus, the guest for the evening, would be coming here in less than two hours. We couldn’t obtain a quality tea set or meat at this hour, so we were left with no ideas. Sebastian, finally tuning back into reality, turned to the servants in annoyance.

“Would you please follow Mr. Tanaka’s example and quiet dow—” he started to say, until he noticed the teacup in Tanaka’s hand. I saw the look he had, and a light bulb blinked on in both our heads. Sebastian smirked quickly before clapping his hands to get the other’s attention.

“Silence everyone. Listen closely to my instructions and carry them out immediately to the letter, understood?” he stated, reaching over to Tanaka and taking his tea cup while the others nodded.

“We shall make do with this,” he continued, holding up the cup. I smirked as the others stared in awe. Everyone soon set to work on fixing the house, Finny running off to the store to get stone and lilac bulbs, Meyrin to get the tea set for dinner, and Bardroy to chop off the burnt bits of the meat. When everything was delivered, Sebastian and I made it very clear for them not to touch a single thing, proving how deadly serious we were by repeating ourselves. The others ran off to do…something, while I walked off to the destroyed garden. I grinned as I cracked my knuckles and tightened the apron around my waist, setting to work on making the backyard into a Japanese stone garden, even so much as making the flower bulbs bloom beautifully. Our guest arrived precisely on time, and thankfully everything was prepared to perfection. Ciel greeted the aged man outside, and as the doors opened, we all bowed for him while giving him the best Phantomhive welcome. The man was clearly surprised by the state of the manor.

“Oh-hoh…Oh my…You’ve really cleaned up this manor house,” he commented.

“We have been expecting you Mister Chlaus,” Sebastian greeted with a smile on his face as Finny took the man’s coat.

“Sebastian! Long time no see!” Chlaus answered, quite loudly, “And a good evening to you as well Cassandra! I see you’ve taken on new staff here,” he continued while putting his hat on Finny’s head. I bowed my head in answer to him, smiling politely. Just because I was Satan’s daughter did not mean I had no manners.

“You must have much to discuss with my master. Dinner will be ready shortly, so please, right this way to the courtyard, sir,” Sebastian said as he walked over to the doors. Chlaus stared in confusion.

“The courtyard?”

“The young master has ordered us to entertain you for all the trouble you have experienced on his behalf during your journey sir,” I interjected, walking over to the doors and opening them with Sebastian with a grin, “I hope you find our efforts most agreeable.” There was no way in hell I was going to let anyone take the credit for my job well done, so I stepped back to reveal the Japanese stone garden I prepared, “Please, make yourself at home.”

“Ooh…! Delightful! _Prodigioso!_ This is a Japanese stone garden,” Chlaus pointed out in glee, a big grin on his face. Sebastian stole the show back soon after, making me bite my cheek.

“We have tea ready for you, sir. Right this way, if you please,” Sebastian called, motioning to the set table in the center of the garden. Chlaus was still beaming.

“The irises are very beautiful,” he started, sitting down in the chair pulled out for him, “Bare trees and flowers…This must be what’s called ‘wabi-sabi’.” The aged man jumped some when I interjected, pouring him a cup of tea with a mumbled ‘excuse me’ to get his attention, “Even the tea is Japanese. I see you two are particular about the details.”

“I can speak for both Sebastian and myself when I say we deeply appreciate your words,” I grinned, bowing my head to him.

“I think I can look forward to dinner as well! Hahaha!”

After that, Sebastian and I went back instead to make the final preparations to dinner as Ciel talked business with Chlaus. We came out a few minutes later, me rolling out the cart, and Sebastian cleared his throat to gain attention.

“Pardon my interruptions, sirs,” he started, “On the menu is our chef Bardroy’s _gyuu-tataki don_.”

“Uh…This…is dinner?”

“Yes,” Sebastian answered, setting down Chlaus’s plate.

“I was expecting a Kyoto-style full-course meal or something-”

“ _Mister Chlaus, did you know?_ ” Sebastian started, flustering the man.

“Donburi has been used in Japan from ancient times as a feast to express gratitude to laborers. A dish given as a treat to a person who has rendered great service! _THAT IS DONBURI!_ ” Sebastian declared with a little too much enthusiasm for my taste, making me roll my eyes at his dramatics. Chlaus sat there completely stupefied before I rolled my eyes and interjected on the speech of the Japanese dish.

“’Houhan’, a court dish for which the masses yearned, is said to be the origins on donburi. Furthermore, we thought Mister Chlaus’s palate might have grown tired of elaborate dishes, and we planned this meal so you could eat the choicest meat simply.” I could hear the other servants cheering for us in stage whispers from the partially opened doors that led to the garden. Mr. Chlaus was in a complete daze after the little rant Sebastian and I made, before he let out a gasp and burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Ciel! This is great! You always surprise me!” he hollered, holding his stomach with laughter, continuing when he calmed down, “a lot of fellows in this business lack a sense of humor. But I think we’ll continue to get along just fine from here.”

“I am honored to hear that,” the young master responded with a smirk.

“I didn’t know the Japanese _donburi_ had such a history behind it,” Mr. Chlaus continued further, turning his attention to me and Sebastian, “you two really are quite the intellectuals.”

“Most kind of you sir,” Sebastian answered, bowing. I smiled politely, thinking back to completely messy study, books littering the place. The thought of cleaning it after made me grimace.

“As you’ve said, I’ve grown weary of full-flavored Italian dishes, so thank you both,” Chlaus said with a grin, tucking a napkin in his shirt before Sebastian gestured for Meyrin to enter the scene with a bottle of Italian wine.

“We took the liberty of selecting an Italian wine to suit your taste, sir,” Sebastian stated, waiting for the silly maid to walk over to the man. The girl merely stood there until Sebastian called her back to reality by calling her name, making her jump, though she kept the smile on her face.

“Y-yes?” she answered innocently. Sebastian was suddenly a little too close to her, making me bristle with— _wait a minute. Am I actually jealous?_ I thought as I watched the scene play out before shaking my head quickly, clearing any such thoughts from my head. The maid finally, and shakily, walked over to the man, her entire face beat red and mumbling to herself about the close proximity her and Sebastian just had. The smell of wine became increasingly thicker, and I looked back to see Meyrin had spilled the wine, missing the man’s glass entirely. I slapped my forehead as the others started to panic, that was until Sebastian whisked of the table cloth without making everything else go flying. I had to admit, I was impressed. Chlaus looked back from his lily viewing, his eyes widening in shock.

“O-ohh? Wh-where did the table cloth go?!” he hollered, staring in bewilderment. Ciel simply chuckled lightly before answering.

“I had it taken away because there was a _slight stain_ on it. Don’t trouble yourself.”

“Excuse us for our discourtesy,” Sebastian smirked, bowing, “please, relax and enjoy your meal.” Ciel dismissed us both to get the dessert when he and Chlaus finished eating. I grinned at him as I took the tablecloth off Sebastian’s hands after reentering indoors just before Finny and Baldroy crowded around him, praising him for the trick he pulled.

“You’re simply wonderful Mister Sebastian! You’re like Machaoki!” Finny exclaimed in excitement.

“In my country, we’d call a guy like you Superman!” Baldroy hollered, wrapping an arm around the butler’s shoulders. Sebastian sighed before answering with a grin;

“…I am no ‘Superman’. _I am merely a butler._ ” I rolled my eyes at them as I walked to the laundry room, setting the cloth there before walking back to the kitchen.

“Hey missy! Come have some of the leftover dessert!” Bardroy called to me as I passed through the doorway, catching my attention, and I assumed Sebastian had already made the treat and exited with it. I blinked up at him before smiling softly and shaking my head in answer.

“Oh come on! We hardly see you eat!” Finny whined. I stood my ground for but a moment before I sighed in defeat and grabbed a plate of leftover dessert, taking a bite of the sweet.

“There, happy?” I asked them, my brow twitching some. They both laughed at my expression, and I cracked my knuckles, prepared to give them a triple ice-cream scoop to the noggin before Sebastian covered my clenched hand with his, getting my attention.

“It’s been a long day, I recommend we all get some rest,” he said, his trademark grin on his face. I rolled my eyes at him before everyone started heading to bed, leaving us standing alone in the kitchen. Sebastian smirked down at me, leaning his face close, but I grinned back and pulled away.

“Shouldn’t you see the guest out and the young master to bed?” I purred, smirking up at him. He frowned before reluctantly pulling away, leaving the kitchen to take care of the guest and Ciel. I sighed lightly, glancing at the bitten treat. I stared at it for a brief moment before tossing it away in the garbage, putting on a brief look of disgust. Honestly, humans were so weird; thinking something like that was delicious…

I let out a small sigh of relief when I finally reached my bedroom, surprised Sebastian wasn’t already there. Seizing the opportunity, I waltzed into the bathroom and stripped out of my clothes, filling the bathtub with hot water. I piled my hair on top of my head in a messy bun, settling into the water soon after and sighing in content, my eyes closing. I almost felt like I was back in Hell. Almost. I started to doze off when I felt hands snake around and down my neck, gliding down to my— _whoa, whoa, whoa. Who the hell…?_ I snapped my eyes open and looked up to see Sebastian leaning over me, a smirk on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him, making the smirk on his face grow. He moved his hands farther down to my stomach before moving them back up to my shoulders. I closed my eyes as he moved his thumbs in lazy circles, leaning back into his hands. I could hear him chuckle before he grabbed a sponge, swiping it over my chest and shoulders. I leaned my head to the side when he swiped over my neck, wincing some at the tender bruises and scratches he had left the previous night. He brushed over them again before moving on to my chest, making me inhale sharply between my teeth. I heard him chuckle again as he leaned towards me, brushing his lips over my neck and making me shiver. He soon pulled me out of the water, making me yelp and cling to him, even though I was getting his clothes soaked.

He grabbed one of the towels and wrapped it around me as he carried me out of the bathroom to the bed, setting me down gently. I kept the towel wrapped around my shoulders as I looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. He smirked back, leaning his face close to mine and keeping his lips hovering just above my own. I pulled back some so I could look at him in the eyes, my own widening when I saw they were glowing. I moved closer again, kissing him lightly and moving my arms around his neck. I felt his lips pull into a smirk as he kissed me back with a tad more force, moving his hands to rest lightly on my back. My back arched some towards his body at the unexpected touch, and I felt his lips quirk more to his cocky grin, making me growl lightly. He chuckled some, kissing me even harder as he leaned me back against the bed, his hands moving so he could hold himself up. The towel that was around my shoulders fell and fanned around me, showing my entire exposed body. I blinked up at him when I saw the glow in his eyes deepen, making my face flush.

“A-again?” I mumbled, my face increasingly darkening. He chuckled as he stood up straight, allowing me to sit up. I shook my head to clear it, and the lusty haze that clouded my mind quickly changed to that of anger and embarrassment.

“You bastard…! You were teasing me again!” I yelped, jumping up from the bed and grabbing the nightgown that laid on the end of the bed. I yanked it over my head and tugged it down, my face red as I shot Sebastian a glare. He simply chuckled at my expression as I crawled under the covers, hiding under them as I gnawed on my lower lip. _Oh god, I can still taste him…_

Sebastian crawled under the covers and laid next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and making me jump. I squirmed some, keeping my back to him, which I knew he didn’t like. He soon flipped me over so I was facing him. He kept an arm around my waist, but my head was now resting on his arm and not on the pillow. I sighed in annoyance, but stayed where I was. I felt my eyes drift shut slowly before I actually fell asleep.

* * *

I awoke the next morning much later than I should have, which explained Sebastian’s absence. I sighed as I got up, my head spinning since I rose too quickly. I held my head in my hands and waited for the dizziness to disappear before getting out of bed and dressed in my uniform. Checking the time, I saw it was just past noon, making me wince. It had been years since I had slept that late…

I walked into the kitchen after exiting my room, seeing Baldroy doing what he usually does; messing up the meal by explosion or mass burning. I grabbed the barrel of his new toy before he could pull the trigger, a smile on my face, though my brow was twitching.

“Geh! Oh, it’s just you. Glad to see you’re finally awake!” he grinned cheekily, moving up his goggles. I narrowed my eyes at him before taking the machinery away.

“Please at least attempt to cook normally for once? And where are Ciel and Sebastian?” I asked, earning a grumbled “went cane shoppin’ or somethin’” from the chef. I sighed before walking out of the room, ignoring his complaints at me taking his toy. I heard a sudden scream from Finny outside, making me jump, until I smelled something _extremely_ familiar, and my face immediately paled. I could only pray Ciel and Sebastian returned soon.

* * *

“We have arrived home young master,” I heard Sebastian say calmly from my position in the drawing room, and would have rushed to them had someone not had their eyes on me to make sure I didn’t leave, “I will have tea prepared right away.” A pause, “Is something wron—?!?!” I let out a heavy sigh. Looks like he had seen the front entryway, completely decorated with bright colors and “cute” objects.

“What on earth has happened?!” he yelped, making me groan in annoyance. Like it wasn’t completely obvious…

“MISTER SEBASTIAAAAANAAAAAAAAN!!” the servants hollered as they rushed to him. I listened closely and waited to see what would happen.

“What is going on?!” Sebastian asked, “Rather… _why are you two dressed like that?!_ ” he hollered. I smirked, wishing I could see the look on his face as he saw the bunny boy and baby-doll chef.

“Ask that crazy girl!” Baldroy shouted. I paled again, waiting to see how the servant and master would react.

“Crazy girl…?” Sebastian asked slowly. I could hear his footsteps as he neared the room I was in.

“This ribbon looks good on you, but this rose looks so cute on you too!” the girl squealed in delight, “I just can’t make up my mind!” I glanced over to see the door creak open a crack, and I sent daggers at the two peering through it. “But this one definitely looks the best! It’s really cuuute! Just like Marie Antoinette!” The entire time the young girl was discussing how to dress up the house steward Tanaka, and had finally settled on his current look. I watched Ciel and Sebastian blanch at the sight before the girl spotted the two, more specifically Ciel. I, however, was previously caught by Miss Elizabeth and was forced to lift my bangs from my face with ridiculously colored pins, as well as wearing a gaudy bonnet. I wanted to seriously hurt Sebastian as I saw him start chuckling to himself upon seeing my attire.

“Ah! CIIIIIIEEEEEL! I MISSED YOOOOU SOOO!” the girl squealed, rushing over and tackling the Earl.

“E-Elizabeth!!” the boy shouted in shock, trying to regain his balance. Elizabeth soon had the boy in a crushing death hug.

“Come oooon! I’m always telling you to call me Lizzie! Kyaaa, you’re soooo cuuute as always!”

“Ahem…Miss Elizabeth,” Sebastian said, clearing his throat to get her attention and release the boy, which she did, leaving the boy panting and gasping for much needed air.

“Why, good day Sebastian!” the girl greeted cheerfully, curtsying to the butler. The man bowed in return, smiling politely back.

“It has been quite some time since we saw you last, miss,” he answered as he stood straight.

“I’ve brought a present for you too!” the girl giggled happily, turning to grab the object. I smirked, already knowing what it was. Sebastian barely had time to get a word in before a pink bonnet decorated with flowers was placed on his head.

“There we go!” she smiled in triumph, clasping her hands together as she gushed, “aaahn, sooooo cuuute! You’re always wearing black, so I thought some color would be good for you!” The other servants and Ciel were all snickering as they tried holding back their laughter. I bit down my lower lip, barely holding in my own laughter, and the demon turned his steely gaze on the servants, hitting them over the head before turning back to Elizabeth and smiling politely.

“I am exceedingly…grateful…for your kindness toward someone such as myself,” he thanked, placing a hand over his heart and bowing some.

“Don’t mention it!” the girl responded with a giggle. Ciel grabbed her attention back then, and his butler went to mope in the corner. I finally let out a small giggle, and he turned his head some to glare at me. I smirked back, giving him the “don’t even THINK about it” look.

“Ahem…by the way, Lizzie,” the Earl started, “why are you here? Where is your mother?” the girl simply hugged him tightly again, nuzzling her cheek against his head.

“I wanted to see you, so I came without telling her!”

“What..? What were you thinking?” the conversation continued as such, Baldroy turning to the now-over-his-depression demon.

“Hey, Sebastian…Who’s the girl?” the man asked, pointing to young lady.

“Aah. Miss Elizabeth is the young master’s betrothed,” he answered simply, showing a blank expression. The servants started panicking for no reason.

“B-B-…..BETROOOOOOTHED?!?!”  
I let out a heavy, annoyed sigh as I attempted to calm the servants; obviously the fact Ciel was engaged was completely new information to them. Many British aristocrats were betrothed from birth, and the young master, Earl Phantomhive, was no exception, and he too has a fiancée. Since an aristocrat’s wife had to be of noble birth as well, it worked that Miss Elizabeth was the daughter of a Marquess.

“Your mother must be worried if you came here without informing her,” Ciel started, “Sebastian, call—” the Earl was interrupted when Elizabeth grabbed the back of his collar and dragged him around the room.

“CIEEEEEL! Come over heeeere!” she called, though she still dragged him, “Look, look! I’ve made the salon cute too!” she giggled. Ciel paled immediately, mumbling about the condition of his manor.

“Oh! I know! Saaay Ciel? Since the salon is all lovely now, let’s have a dance party today!!” she declared, her imagination already running as the young boy blanched at the thought, “My fiancé will escort me, and together we’ll dance the night away! Kyaaah~!” she squealed, twirling around.

“Wh—?!” he started.

“A dance, is it?” Sebastian said calmly, still wearing the ridiculous bonnet.

“Make sure you wear the clothes I chose for you, Ciel!” Elizabeth giggled, grabbing onto his hands, the Earl unable to get a word in, “They’ll really cute on yooou!”

“Hey, I never said I’d…” Ciel started, his words going completely ignored.

“Dancing with Ciel, who’ll be wearing an outfit I picked out. It’ll be like a dream come true!” she sighed dreamily, clasping her hands together, “I have to dress up and look my most stylish toooooo!”

“Listen up when people are talking to you…Hey!!” the Earl shouted, “Listen to meee!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, poor Cassie. I finally got Lizzie to torture her


	6. Dance the Night Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Lizzie's little party, and Volpes has a little goft for his sister...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso!

I was currently standing in Ciel’s office, the pins gone, leaving my bangs to fall over my eye again. The young master’s office seemed to be the only escape I had from Miss Elizabeth’s reign of torture. Ciel had his head on his desk, a visible and heavy aura surrounding him. Sebastian started speaking as he poured the young master some tea.

“Miss Elizabeth is the daughter of the Midford Marquessate, the family into which Lady Francis, the younger sister of the previous head of the family, married,” he stated, “there is nothing to be done. You cannot brusquely turn your fiancée away. The family’s rank in the peerage is higher, not to mention their wealth…”

“I didn’t want to become her fiancé. I was _forced_ to,” Ciel mumbled, finally sitting up as Sebastian set down the full tea cup.

“Regardless, the best course for today would be to acquiesce to her fancy, and then ask her to leave,” I mumbled, resting my head in my hands with a sigh.

“Quite right. After all you have yet to finish playing that _game,_ ” Sebastian warned.

“Exactly. So just stuff some food in that mouth of hers and send her on her way,” Ciel grumbled, picking up the tea, “I have no time to deal with a little girl’s whims.”

“But Miss Elizabeth wishes to dance with you,” I stated, turning my gaze to the young Earl to see him flinch, making me smirk.

“…Young master,” Sebastian started.

“What is it?” Ciel responded, setting down the tea cup.

“We’ve never seen you do so ourselves,” Sebastian continued, “but you _do_ know how to dance, sir?” Ciel responded by remaining completely silent and turning around in his chair, facing away from us and making my smirk grow bigger. Sebastian let out a sigh as he cut into the orchard fruit cake he had made.

“I see. That would explain why you are such a wallflower even when invited to parties.”

“I-I’m busy with my work. I haven’t the time to waste on such sport,” the boy responded.

“I beg to differ, young master,” Sebastian stated, turning the Earl back to face the room, “social dancing is called ‘social’ for a reason. It is a necessary skill at balls and banquets,” a dark smile crossed his features as he moved the dessert near Ciel’s face, “a gentleman of the aristocracy must be able to dance. For if you were to refuse the daughter of a business acquaintance a dance, young master’s reputation in social circles would plummet.”

“All right, fine! I’ll just have to do it then,” the Earl declared in a huff, tossing his papers back onto the desk, “call for a tutor! Like Madame Bright or Madame Rodkin.”

“We do not have the time to enlist one of the madams as your dance instructor, sir,” Sebastian sighed, pulling out his watch, “a pretense of skill is enough for today, so let us have you master the waltz, a basic ballroom dance.”

“Who would you have teach me then? Any way you look at it, the residents here are out of the question…” Ciel mumbled, taking a bite of cake.

“Not to worry sir,” Sebastian grinned, clapping his watch shut, “ _brazen though it may be of me, please allow me to teach you how to dance._ ” Ciel instantly bristled.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I can’t dance with a tall fellow like you!” he sighed after, crossing his arms, “ _you_ can’t dance the waltz anyway...” Sebastian chuckled, lifting a finger to prove a point.

“Permit me to teach you the Viennese waltz, as I have often visited the Schonbrunn palace in the past—” he would have continued had I not interrupted him, standing up and walking over to the desk and standing next to the devil butler.

“Wouldn’t it be more proper for him to practice with a lady first?” I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest and making Ciel bristle again.

“But you’re so tall!” he argued, defiant in his decision to not learn.

“Would you prefer to dance with Sebastian?” I argued back, moving my arms so one hand was resting on my cocked hip. Ciel frowned and clenched his jaw, and I knew I had won. I bowed my head before holding out my hand.

“ _Will you not grant me this dance, my lord?_ ”

* * *

Not much time later, Ciel and I were standing across from each other in the ballroom, a smirk on my face.

“The first step is from the heel. Please, hold the lady’s back firmly,” I instructed while grabbing his hand and placing it on my waist, “when the music plays, begin with your left foot.” As he stepped forward, he ended up stepping instead on my foot, making me cringe, but I pushed through.

“Next is the natural turn…” I grumbled, urging him to make the turn, which only ended up being shaky and sloppy, but I digress, “slide your foot forward…!” I clenched my jaw when his foot collided with my ankle, and I swallowed down a yelp. I looked down at him to see a scared-for-his-life expression. I merely looked pitied as I let out a sigh.

“Your dancing ability leaves much to be desired. How very catastrophic of you, young master. You must not hang from me, the lady, so,” I sighed, giving him a pout. He blanched.

“You’re too tall!” he argued back, glaring up at me. I let out another sigh.

“Let’s just start from the beginning,” I mumbled, and Sebastian started up the music again with a smirk, “Listen, young master. It is said that ‘social dancing begins and ends with the waltz’. You must dance formally and with elegance,” I scolded as we continued dancing. I cringed when he ended up stepping on my foot again, and I got a look at his face, frowning. I motioned Sebastian to come over before pointing at Ciel’s face.

“In any case,” I mumbled, pinching his cheek and pulling it, “you must first address your gloomy demeanor, sir,” I frowned more, and Sebastian peered over my shoulder before grabbing the other side of his face and tugging as I was.

“You do not wish to be rude to the lady,” he continued, frowning as well, “please, pretend you are having fun…at the very least.” We both grinned then, pushing his face so it appeared he was smiling before we both spoke; “All right, now give us a joyful smile!” Ciel struggled in our grip before slapping our hands away with a shout.

“ _Unhand me!_ ” he shouted at us, “I—!” he paused, lowering his head and holding his ring in a gentle grip, “…I’ve long since forgotten… _how to smile…joyfully…_ ” he mumbled, causing us demons to frown again as he remembered that day. Sebastian pulled out his watch and glanced at the time before placing it back in his pocket and clapping his hands together.

“I believe it is time for us to get ready. Cassandra, please see to Miss Elizabeth to see if she needs anything,” he said with a grin. I glared at him, fire practically burning from my eyes. I would SO get him back for that later. I grumbled, turning my back from the two before making my way to Miss Elizabeth’s guest room, knocking on the door.

“Hmm? Come in!” came the bright reply. I opened the door and poked my head through before I was grabbed and yanked inside. For such a petite girl she had some pretty monstrous strength…

“You must, must, MUST wear something elegant to the dance party!” the girl squealed, rushing around the room. I felt shivers run over my spine as she said this.

“Miss Elizabeth, I’m afraid I must not wear anything but this. I am simply a maid in this household—”

“Oh, pish posh— Wait, is that a _ring_ on your finger?!” the young girl shrieked with excitement, making me cover my ringing ears. I shook my head to clear it before glancing down at my hands, seeing a black, oddly yet elegantly designed ring placed on my ring finger. I felt my brow twitch. _That bastard…Must’ve put it on when I wasn’t paying attention…_

“EEEEEEE!! This is just _wonderful!!_ ” Elizabeth squealed, practically shaking with excitement, “Sooo! Who is he?!”

“Well…uh…Can I please leave now?” I mumbled, trying to back towards the door. She grabbed my hand and yanked me back, sitting me on the bed.

“You mustn’t leave until you tell me!” she ordered, pointing her finger in my face. My brow twitched again. I gave out an annoyed sigh, giving up on resisting as I rested my head in my hands.

“Alright, may as well proceed with the torture…” I mumbled. I immediately regretted saying anything as she grabbed my collar and pulled me up. I knew I was in trouble now…

* * *

Elizabeth now stood in the salon room, twirling around in her red and pink frilled dress as Mey-rin tried to help with her hair and fixing the dress.

“You see, I think Ciel looks best in blue! When I was out shopping in London today, I fell in love at first sight with the clothes I bought for him!” she squealed, twirling around again.

“Oh, I know!” she declared, turning to Mey-rin, “Why don’t you attend the party too? I’ll make you cute! Let’s start with taking off those glasses!”

“But, um…” Mey-rin mumbled before struggling to keep them on as Elizabeth took a hold of them, “I-I am terribly farsighted, miss. I can see nary a thing without my glasses!” she yelped, struggling more.

“If you can see far away, that’ll do just fine!” the girl said, ignoring the maid’s pleas.

“ _That’s enough,_ ” Ciel ordered from the doorway, his hands placed behind his back and making the girl stop any further attempts to remove the maid’s glasses. Sebastian stood behind him, holding the young master’s new cane.

“CIEL~!!” the girl gushed before running over and grabbing his hands, twirling him around in a circle, “You’re SOOOO CUUUTE!! I KNEW I was right!!

“Look, look! Everyone’s turned cute!” she declared, gesturing to Baldroy, who was now dressed in some oddly designed uniform, Finny, who was dressed in a plaid dress with cat ears, and Tanaka, who was dressed with a black wig and a kimono. Ciel held his head after Lizzie let him go, trying to clear the dizziness before glancing around the room.

“Where is—?” he started but was interrupted when the door was opened.

* * *

I walked through the doors wearing an elegant strapless black and blue dress, silky black gloves that went up to my upper arms and had bright blue bows on the ends, and black high heeled shoes. My fire red hair was piled on my head in a bun; even my bangs had been pulled back. A black choker was wrapped around my neck, making it appear even longer than it was. The ruffles were a mixture of blue and black, the blue being the same as the bows on the gloves. All eyes were on me as I stepped through, shutting the doors after and turning back, visibly flinching from the stares I was getting; especially from Sebastian.

“Oh I just KNEW she’d look lovely!” Elizabeth squealed, dashing over to me and gushing over my outfit, “That dress is absolutely PERFECT~!” I felt another headache coming on. She came back to her senses and ran back over to Ciel, fawning over him again, much to his obvious displeasure. Sebastian walked over to me, his trademark smirk on his face. His eyes were practically glowing already.

“Interesting outfit choice. It suits you well,” he commented in a hushed tone so the others wouldn’t hear. I growled lightly, staring daggers at him.

“I was forced. Thanks to you slipping this blasted ring on my finger,” I growled up at him, moving up my left hand and showing it to him. He chuckled in answer before taking my hand and kissing the ring.

“We do have to keep up appearances after all, as clichéd as they come,” he purred, brushing his thumb over my wrist. I knew he could feel my pulse jump, which only made the blush grow on my face. He chuckled again, moving his face closer so he could whisper in my ear, though we both knew it was unneeded.

“ _You’re making it exceedingly hard to resist ravishing you on the spot,_ ” he grinned before quickly nipping my ear, making me inhale sharply. He chuckled more as he pulled back, smirking once more at me. I seriously wanted to claw that look off his face. I grumbled as he stood straight again before glancing over to see a now very irritated Elizabeth.

“Ciel! Where is the ring I got you? The cute one that matched the clothes!” she growled, glaring at the young master, who took his hand back from her.

“Huh..? What ring? This ring is just fine,” he argued back. The girl before him pouted before turning angry and thrusting her finger towards him in anger.

“ _I think not!!_ I’ve made you all cute! But that ring isn’t cute at all!!” she hollered, glaring at Ciel with daggers before she broke down into tears, “so you don’t want to wear the one I brought, Ciel! You’re sooooo meaaaan!! _Waaaaaaah!!_ ”

“That’s not it…” Said boy mumbled, holding his hand up to show the ring, “this ring is—”

“There!” the girl declared as her mood quickly changed to a smile as she managed to nab the ring right off Ciel’s thumb.

“L—”

“Got iiiit!!” she declared as she ran off with it before holding it up and peering through it, “see, this ring is _much_ too big for you! The one I chose is just the right size-”

“ _ **GIVE IT BACK!!**_ ” Ciel shouted, making everyone but me and Sebastian flinch from the harsh order. We looked over to see the Earl with an extremely angry expression on his face as he held his hand open, demanding the ring returned immediately to him.

“ _Give it back this instant…Elizabeth!_ ” he demanded harshly, his gaze like ice.

“Wh-why are you so angry…?” the girl mumbled, starting to cry for real this time, but the Earl’s glare remained the same, “…What is it…?! I was only trying to make you look cute! So how come you’re so angry!? You’re so mean!!” she cried, raising her arm, “ _I hate this ring!!_ ” she continued, her arm swinging down and sending the ring to crash on the hard tiled floor, causing it to break. The Earl’s expression became even angrier before he raised his arm to slap the girl, making her cry out and flinch back.

“ _Young master,_ ” Sebastian said sternly while grabbing the boy’s wrist before the hand could make contact, shaking the boy out of the angry haze. I couldn’t help a small smirk spread on my face as I watched, “young master…You have forgotten this walking stick of yours we just had made,” he continued, placing the cane in the panting child’s hand.

“Excuse us, Miss Elizabeth,” the butler stated, bowing some to the girl, “That ring is very important to my master. It is the one ring in the world that is handed down to each head of the Phantomhive family. Please, forgive my master’s discourtesy,” he finished, bowing again. The explanation caused the girl to gasp in shock.

“It was…such a precious ring…and…I…” she whimpered, starting to shake. The Earl let out a calm sigh before picking up the destroyed ring and walking towards the open window.

“Oh Ciel, I’m—” she started but let her sentence drop when Ciel tossed the ring out the window. The girl gasped before running over, too late to save it.

“Ciel?! How could you?!” she cried out.

“I don’t care. It’s just an old ring…” he mumbled before lifting his head with a look of defiance, “whether I wear that ring or not… _I, Ciel Phantomhive, am the head of the Phantomhive family,_ ” he finally declared, causing Sebastian to widen his eyes and the other servants to look on in shock. I simply remained where I was, a small smirk still on my face. Humans…Such intriguing creatures…  
Ciel bent to pick up his fallen hat, speaking to Elizabeth as he did so, “What’s with your face?” he asked calmly, dusting off his hat.

“B-Because…!” the girl answered, now sobbing heavily.

“That face is a fright. Can you even call yourself a lady?” the Earl continued, pulling a handkerchief from his breast pocket and patting the tears from the crying child’s face, “I don’t want to ask you to dance when you’re looking like that.” The girl’s eyes widened, the bottom half of her face hidden by the white cloth.

“The rule of a ball is to forget about the bad things and dance the night away. _Is that not so…my lady?_ ” he continued further with a small smile on his face. The girl nodded in answer, the bright smile from before shining even through her tears. Sebastian’s shocked expression morphed back into an easy smirk as the rest of the servants cheered in excitement. I grinned even more, walking over to the piano and sitting on the bench before playing, my black clad fingers gliding smoothly over the keys. Sebastian soon joined in with a violin, and the couple began to dance.

“It…truly is a dream come true!” the girl said brightly, finally having her dance with her fiancé.

* * *

It was hours later, the party finally over. I remained in the salon, staring out of window. I still wore the outfit Miss Elizabeth had chosen. Even the gloves had remained on my hands. I shut my eyes as I leaned against the wall. Sebastian had already sent Ciel and Elizabeth to bed, and the other servants had gone to their own as well. I opened my eyes into slits and stared up at the full moon, it being the only light left that shone in the ballroom. A song that I had played earlier began to spin around my head, making me close my eyes again as I drowned myself in the music before it changed into a much darker one, a piece my father often played when I was still but a child myself. I smiled sadly, stepping out of the heels before moving to spin around the room, dancing to the Devil’s sonnet. My eyes were closed as I truly smiled, my arms spread out as I spun in a circle, my face tilted to the ceiling. The twirl abruptly stopped when a pair of arms moved around my waist. They weren’t the pair that I had known for two years now. I let out a deep growl before shoving away from the figure, whipping around to see none other than my bastard fox of a brother, grinning wickedly at me. I felt my claws and canines extend immediately, remembering the little “incident” he had caused the last we had seen each other.

“What in Lucifer’s name are you doing here, Volpes?” I growled threateningly, feeling the edges of my power start flicking outwards. He simply laughed at me, brushing off his human clothes. His human form was exactly what I had expected; vibrant autumn colored hair combed back from his face, piercings littering his ears, gold eyes, a spiked bar in his brow. Even his clothes were just what I thought they’d be, consisting of black and white Italian wingtips, pinstripe dark green pants, a dark red coat with fur around the collar, a gold vest, and a crisp white shirt with a red ribbon around his neck. I blanched at his overly pompous attire, it practically screaming “gigolo”.

“Why, I’m just here to see my adorable baby sister,” he grinned, walking towards me. I growled more, raising my claws and preparing to tear him to shreds if need be, though I didn’t even get to do anything.

A familiar scent washed over the room, making me relax my tense muscles as I looked over to see Sebastian glaring coldly at my brother, his eyes glowing with complete malice. Should my brother try anything, there would be blood, no doubt about it.  
The raven moved towards me at a slow pace, keeping his eyes on Volpes, and only speaking to the fox when he was standing in front of me, his arm held out some in protection.

“What are you doing here, Volpes,” he seethed, clearly willing to use torture if necessary. The fox just chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender.

“Oh relax. I’m still being punished by dear old father for what I did. I’m just here to deliver something from Father to Tigris,” he explained, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a flask and tossing it to me, “a little something to keep up your strength—”

“What is it,” Sebastian and I both growled, not about to take something given to me from my brother of all people. He held up his hands in surrender again, trying to calm us down.

“I swear on my life I did nothing to it. Father has me on a short leash,” he grumbled the last part, tugging on his collar some and showing the black, glowing collar, “if I was lying, it would have chopped my head clean off.” I smirked at the shudder he gave, mentally thanking my father repeatedly.

“That doesn’t answer our question,” Sebastian said, glaring coldly at the fox, who started shrinking at the raven’s gaze.

“It-it’s just some souls he bottled up. He knows she hasn’t eaten any for herself yet, and he did warn he would have your head as a mantle piece if anything happened to her while she was here,” Volpes growled, stumbling over his words some. Sebastian relaxed some before narrowing his eyes back at the fox. He took the hint and vanished, neither of us having a clue of where he was going. I let out a sigh as I looked down at the flask, unscrewing the top and bringing it close enough to smell. It reeked of blood, death, and most importantly, all kinds of different souls. I knew my eyes started shining before I brought the flask closer, swallowing down some before pulling it away, suddenly feeling more energized. _So this was the power gained from souls…_

Sebastian let out a sigh as he turned to me, his face relaxed and calm again before it scrunched in confusion. I blinked at him as he moved his face to my neck, smelling in the crook of it before growling and pulling away.

“He touched you,” he growled out, his eyes starting to glow softly again. I flinched back against the wall, wishing just as much that it hadn’t happened.

“I-I was distracted and let my guard down…” I mumbled, looking down at my hands. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip, gripping onto the dress. His hands moved out and grabbed my waist, pulling me towards him, making me snap my eyes open. One of his hands curled through my hair at the base of my neck and pulled my head back so I was looking at him, his other hand gripping the fabric of my dress at my back.

“I’ll not have another touching what is rightfully _mine,_ ” he growled before his lips crushed against mine, making me squeeze my eyes shut again. It didn’t take long for me to relax and kiss him back. He was entirely right. I was completely his…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah, Volpes, you complete stubborn ass. Next is the conclusion of Ciel's game!


	7. Mouse Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come to finish this game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso

I awoke the next day, my entire body feeling sore, especially my legs. I lifted my head, grogginess washed throughout my brain. I groaned as I propped myself up on my elbows, glancing at the clock to see I had woken up on time this morning. I even had half an hour to spare. I attempted to roll over to have pain spike down my sides, making me wince and groan again in pain. I looked down to see scratches and bruises littering my sides and legs. My face scrunched in confusion until I heard a door creak open, and I looked over to see Sebastian standing in the bathroom doorway with his shirt partially buttoned. He had a big smirk on his face as he looked at me.

“Seeing you there like that just makes me want to ravish you all over again,” he grinned, his eyes already glowing. My eyes went wide before what had happened last night flooded back. After my brother had left and Sebastian had kissed me, he had seemed like he couldn’t get back to our room fast enough. The scars dragging down my sides; all caused by his claws raking down them. The reason behind the bruises; they were the same shape as his hands when he gripped me tightly. My dress was in a heap on the floor, but it appeared to be unharmed, though I couldn’t say that much about my fishnets. I didn’t even have to look in a mirror to know my neck would be adorned with a necklace of bite marks and hickeys. Even my wrists were bruised. My face went dark red before I rolled back onto my stomach, hiding my face in a pillow. I heard him chuckle before the bed dipped as he sat next to me.

“Don’t worry, love. You weren’t the only one to be marked in such a manner,” he grinned, his lips close enough to my ear that I could feel his breath skip down my neck and making me shudder. He chuckled again as he nipped my ear, and I turned my head to look at him, finally noticing the scratches on his chest and small but plentiful bruises on his neck. God only knows what his back looked like…

He smirked down at me again before buttoning the rest of his shirt, standing afterwards and finishing getting dressed. I sat up with a yawn, stretching my sore muscles before massaging my shoulders. I got out of bed soon after, picking up the dress from the floor, thanking Satan it wasn’t destroyed, and started getting dressed as well. It turned out to be a difficult task because Sebastian wouldn’t keep his hands off me. When I finally was dressed, I put a black choker around my neck so no one would see the marks he’d left, much to his displeasure. I rolled my eyes at him before walking to the kitchen with him, seeing the other servants already there. Everyone soon set to work, though Sebastian and I were busy setting up for guests today, since Ciel would be having a meeting. Everyone arrived around noon, and I made Baldroy, Mey-rin, Finny, and Tanaka keep busy with our mice problem. I remained with Tanaka, drinking tea with him while watching the others.

“Awww, brother,” Baldroy mumbled, looking at the chewed through wire from the ceiling while standing on a ladder, “they got to it. Guess they have it bad for cable pasta. Those damned mice.”

“It’s them mice again, is it?” Mey-rin asked, a worried look on her face.

“We’ve got lots of them this year, don’t we?” Finny continued, frowning some.

“I heard there’s an epidemic in London, but I didn’t think they’d bother coming to the city’s outskirts,” the chef answered as he climbed down the ladder, “business will go bust if we keep having power outages so often.”

“AH!!” Finny hollered before lifting one of the statues, “MOUSE SPOTTED!!” he suddenly threw the bust statue at where the mouse was standing, which was right behind Baldroy. The impact made the chef scream in surprise as he jumped away from the spot.

“Ah! Oops, it got away~ Tee-hee!” Finny giggled.

“’TEE-HEE’ AIN’T GONNA CUT IT!!” Baldroy shouted at him, “You tryin’ to kill me too?! IDIOT!!!” I let out a sigh, taking a sip of tea while Tanaka just huffed out his usual laugh.

“Anyway, it’s no use just going at ‘em directly! We hafta use what we got up here!” Baldroy declared while jabbing a thumb in the direction of his head.

“Up here?” Mey-rin, Finny, and even Tanaka echoed, pointing to their own heads in confusion and making me smack my forehead.

“He means your brains, half-wits,” I grumbled, taking another sip of tea.

“Right! We— Hey! That an insult?!” Baldroy shouted at me. I looked away, acting like I had said nothing.

“Anyway, we gotta use our heads and read the enemy’s movements!” he started explaining, “a direct assault isn’t the only way to fight battles. That’s right! What we need’s a distraction! So here’s my plan!” he declared, bringing out a pot with god only knows what inside of it, “because they’re so many of ‘em now, I figure they’re short on food. There ain’t nothing as tough as starving on the battlefield.”

“We were on a battlefield?” I mumbled, earning another glare from the chef and another side-ways glance from me.

“So we’ll use this!” he continued, acting like nothing happened with a big grin on his face, “ _Better known as ‘Chef Baldo’s Home-Cooking, Mice Full-Speed Ahead’ Plan!!”_ he finished, earning claps from the other servants, “well, can’t expect anything less from a pro!” The other servants were in awe of the odd substance as it bubbled and seemed to move…

“’KAAAY! Then I’ll have at it with the _‘Showdown of the Archenemies, Tome and Julie’_ grand plan!!” Finny declared, holding up one of many cats that were suddenly in the hallway.

“I-I won’t lose to you! Here we have the _‘Once I Catch You I Won’t Let You Go, Mice Hoi-Hoi’_ grand plan!!” Mey-rin announced, pointing to row after row of mousetraps littering the hall. Tanaka was wearing a straw hat and had a net with him, handing me a spare one, which I took just amuse him.

“All right!! Then let the battle begin!!” the other three hollered, lifting their fists in triumph. I sighed, standing up and seeing a mouse stray in front of me. I felt an itch in my hands, and I clenched my fists to ignore it. More passed in front of me before my pupils went into slits and I leaped after it, cupping my hands like paws around it, only to see I had missed. I pouted looking around for it before seeing it crawl underneath the door to the billiard room, which was where the young master was having his meeting. Unable to resist, I dashed towards the room, hearing a yelp from the woman in there before I pushed the door open, getting looks from everyone in there as I looked for the mouse. Ignoring them, I ran over to the woman dressed in red and grabbed the mouse that was at her feet, making her sigh in relief. My eyes went back to normal as I calmly walked out of the room, closing the door before seeing another mouse run past me. My eyes changed again into cat eyes as I tossed the mouse in my hand and chased the new one, letting out a pleased purr when I finally caught it. I started toying with it when I heard Sebastian at the other end of the hall, completely appalled.

“…What are you doing?” he questioned the other servants.

“Whaddaya mean, what?! We’re catching mice!!” Baldroy shouted, carrying around the pot with a hair net on his head. I completely ignored the others, still toying with the mouse I had caught with a look of glee on my face.

“I…see…Is…that right…” Sebastian mumbled.

“Sebastian!” Ciel called from behind the butler, making him turn around. Apparently the meeting was over— _Mouse…_

“Young master?”

“Send a carriage over to Lord Randall’s mansion tonight,” Ciel ordered.

“A carriage sir?” Sebastian asked, tilting his head.

“We will be hosting a party tonight,” Ciel smirked, his butler catching the hint.

“Very good sir,” the black clad man smirked, “ _once I have made arrangements for the carriage, I shall bring your afternoon tea to your room,_ ” Sebastian answered, placing a hand over his heart and bowing, “for today’s afternoon tea, I have prepared a deep dish pie of apples and raisins. I will bring it fresh from the oven, so please wait a little while.”

“All right,” Ciel answered simply before walking off to his office— _So many mice…_

“…Right,” Sebastian mumbled before leaping down and snatching up all the mice the others were busy catching in one smooth swipe, shocking them. I was still busy with the ones I had captured…

“Now then. Please stop playing about and get back to work. We are expecting a guest tonight,” Sebastian huffed before tossing the mice out of the open window.

“Yesh shiiiiiir….” They all mumbled. I was still busy when Sebastian walked over, the others running off the clean up their mess.

“What, exactly, are you doing?” Sebastian asked with a smirk. I blinked up at him, my pupils still slitted as I had two mice hiding under my hands. I hadn’t even noticed I had sprouted a tail, which was swishing behind me in glee. We stared at each other before I quickly stood up, composing myself and making everything appear normal once more before I tossed the mice outside, grabbing Sebastian’s collar when I walked back to him and glaring.

“YOU. SAW. NOTHING. GOT IT?” I growled, prepared to tear his eyes out. He simply smirked at me.

“Now why would I let such useful information just tempt me?” he purred, raising his hand and dragging his fingers down my spine. I felt a shiver run through me before I let out a purr, making his smirk grow. I growled before moving away from him with a deep set frown, my mood already darkened. He just chuckled as we both walked to the kitchen, me preparing the young master’s tea while he removed the pie from the oven. We set both on the tray before walking upstairs to his office. Sebastian knocked on the door and called Ciel’s title. When earning no response, I tensed up, knowing something was wrong. Sebastian knocked again before walking inside the room, his eyes widening in shock.

“This is…” he mumbled, looking around the messy room; papers were scattered about, and the window was wide open, “oh dear…how could this be…” he continued to himself. I let out a sigh as I crossed my arms before mumbling myself.

“And after all that, this tea is going to go to waste…”

“The deep dish pie turned out exceptional…so…where could he have gone?” Sebastian asked himself. I still shrugged my shoulders in response, walking back out into the hallway. Sebastian followed after me, and we both turned when Mey-rin called for him, running towards us both.

“Th-there was a letter at the door!” she said, still running.

“To whom is it addressed?” Sebastian asked.

“Erm…’Mister Valet to Lord Ciel Phantomhive’…GAH!!” she answered before suddenly stepping on one of her laces, tripping and falling on Sebastian just as a gunshot sounded. I jumped away from the two, and saw just a few strands of hair. The window shattered, and I watched as the shooter ran back to where he came from, my eyes glowing red. The pie had flown into the air as Sebastian and Mey-rin had fallen, the maid letting out a scream. She started stuttering to herself as Sebastian sat up, his face perfectly calm.

“My, my,” he mumbled, “Mey-rin, the letter.”

“Eh?! Ah! Here it is!” she answered, handing it over to him while still sitting on his lap and making my brow twitch. He took the letter and flipped it open, reading its contents with a small glower.

“This invitation possesses not an ounce of grace,” he mumbled while closing the letter and handing it to me. I flipped it open myself and read the contents;

  
_If you want your master back,_  
_bring the goods to Buck’s Row_  
_in White Chapel._  


I had to admit, I agreed with Sebastian’s statement. Just as I sealed the letter once more, Finny and Baldroy came bounding up the stairs and ran towards us. Mey-rin’s face was steadily getting darker…

“Hey, hey! What the hell’s going on?!” Baldo shouted as he ran towards us.

“You’ve both collapsed! Are you alright?!” Finny asked of Sebastian and Mey-rin. I merely glanced back at the window.

“It was nothing. We are fine,” Sebastian answered standing up with Mey-rin, who only fell back to the ground, her face entirely red, and even had some blood dribbling from her nose, “forgive me for asking, but might I leave the cleaning up of this mess and tonight’s dinner preparations to you?” he continued, turning his attention to Baldo.

“Uh…sure, that’s fine, but…” the chef started before dropping his sentence.

“We’ve just got a tiny bit of business to take care of,” I interrupted as Sebastian started to say something, making him smirk over at me before he handed the treat to Baldo.

“And please, take care of this as well,” he said, his smirk changing to a polite smile.

“…’kay?” Baldo answered, taking the pie. Finny was busy trying to bring Mey-rin back to life.

“We should be back by dinnertime,” I cooed, turning to walk off with Sebastian.

“Nn? Take care of it means…I can eat th— Huh?” Baldo said, but we were already gone, “Sebastian? Cassandra?”

* * *

“Can I PLEASE, change back to my normal outfit?” I whined as we ran after the automobile containing the hit men. Sebastian merely chuckled, making me pout more.

“We have to at least be presentable so none will raise suspicion,” he answered finally. The vehicle was already in sight, and I could hear voices from the car. Someone was talking on the phone, and the clearest voice sounded scared.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!” one of the men shouted, finally seeing me and Sebastian running towards them. I could just make out the other voice, and I couldn’t help a vicious grin appear on my face.

“ _What, you have seen a bear or something?_ ” the phone voice asked. I could hear amusement in his voice, and the accent was Italian. Screams followed from the two men before the man over the phone spoke again.

“ _What’s wrong with you? Are you guys too HIGH?!”_ he asked, getting annoyed.

“GO FASTER!!” one of the men screamed.

“WE CAN’T!!” the other responded. One could tell he was going faster than he should, and it would all be in vain.

“NO! IT’S COMING!!” the first voice screamed. I could already make out the features of the men, and my grin grew. They were completely terrified.

“ _Hey! What is?! Don’t fuck with—”_

“IT’S C—!!” the first voice cut off his sentence.

“ _CUT IT OUT YOU BASTARDS!!”_ the man over the phone hollered.

“IT’S NO USE!! IT’S HERE—!!” there was a loud screech of tires as we finally caught up to the car, and Sebastian swung out his hand, destroying the front window, I jumped up and stomped on the roof of the car, and there could be nothing heard but screams. The man on the phone was still on line, and he could probably hear everything that was occurring as Sebastian and I demolished the vehicle. I could hear someone start laughing before I recognized it as Ciel.

“ _It would seem that your game of ‘fetch’ was a failure,_ ” he chuckled.

“ _SHUT UP!! YOU MISERABLE LITTLE BRAAAT!!!_ ” the Italian shouted before there was the sound of someone being kicked around. I could hear someone panting before the phone was lifted again. Sebastian was now standing on the hood of the car as it dangled over the edge of a cliff, holding his hand out impatiently for the phone. I stood away from it, licking blood off my hands.

“ _HEY! GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT OR I’M GOING TO KILL YOU MUTTS!! HEY!!!_ ” the Italian shouted. The men in the car handed over the phone, making the butler smirk.

“Hello?” he asked simply. There was dead silence over the line.

“Hello? I am a servant of the Phantomhive family,” he continued, waiting for a response, “might our master be there?” something on the other end landed on the floor, making me glance over, “hello? Is something wrong, sir?” Sebastian started to smirk again when he heard the man start shaking so much the phone was rattling.

“ _WOOF!”_ That was the only response we needed. Sebastian’s smirk went into a lazy grin.

“Understood, sir,” he responded, “We shall be there to collect you straight away. Please be patient for just a bit longer,” he clicked the phone shut after, the other line going dead, “thank you for allowing me the use of your telephone,” he grinned, handing the device back to the men in the car. I walked over, my hands finally clean, and stood near him, grinning myself.

“There are a few things we would like to ask of you as well,” I said, licking my lips as I crossed my arms, “if we may?”

“First, I would like to know the name of your master,” Sebastian started. The men said nothing as they shook in their seats, making me scoff.

“Come now. I’m afraid patience isn’t one of his virtues,” I said before grinning, “surely you do not wish to become ‘Humpty-Dumpty’?” The men paled instantly before the man in the hat spoke in a rushed tone.

“The Ferro family’s Azzuro Vanel! Their hideout is in the northern part of East End!” he answered, making both of us grin once more.

“I see,” Sebastian responded simply, sliding the phone back into the coat pocket of the man in the hat.

“We were…j…j-j-just hired by him…” the second man stuttered, trying to save their skins.

“Oh? Is that so?” Sebastian responded with a blank expression before standing up, “in that case, I do apologize for holding you up,” he smiled politely as he jumped up off the car, “ _please, have a safe trip_.” The car started to teeter before falling off the edge to the chasm below. Sebastian landed once more on the ground next to me with a tap, a small frown on his face.

“The Ferro family…” he mumbled before turning away and pulling out his pocket watch. We both started walking away when the car exploded, fire shooting up into the air.

“Oh dear, just look at the time…” he mumbled again, and I looked over his shoulder at his watch, pouting myself.

“We should hurry up, lest we be late for dinner…”

* * *

Sebastian and I now stood in front of the Ferro family manor, looking up at it as shouts were heard inside. I could make out the Italian man’s voice giving orders before more shouts were heard as numerous people ran down the stairs. We snuck by them, unnoticed as more orders were given to not let a single mouse in.

“Oh my,” Sebastian grinned, looking around. I followed his example, grinning.

“What a splendid manor house,” I echoed back, my grin changing into a polite smile.

“Wha…?” one of the men questioned, turning to see us.

“Who the fuck are you two?!” another shouted.

“The hell’d you get in ‘ere!!?” another barked out.

“Hmm?” Sebastian and I questioned at the same time.

“You seem to be rather busy,” Sebastian started.

“Might you be expecting someone?” I finished, tilting my head to the side. Every single man whipped their guns on us, glaring.

“What business does a butler and maid have here?!” a third man shouted, “which family are you from!!”

“Us?” we both answered before coming to realization, from they perceived anyway.

“Aaah, do forgive us for not introducing ourselves,” Sebastian grinned, before his expression darkened, “ _we work for the Phantomhive family…”_

* * *

It didn’t take long for everyone of the men to be completely knocked out. Sebastian kept having to remind me not kill them all, much to my disappointment. A pout was set on my face as I walked up the steps with him. He took out his watch and clicked it open, checking the time.

“Half past five,” he mumbled, making me frown in mock disappointment.

“We’re cutting it rather close aren’t we?” I mumbled back as we opened the doors to another section of the house.

“THEY’RE HERE!!” a man shouted, “FIIIIIRE!!!” Gun fire sounded through the air, making me jump as bullets just barely missed me. I ran behind Sebastian dodging the bullets before he threw the tray still in his hand. It cut through the air, either knocking out the guns from the men’s hands or cutting off the ends of them. He reached back and picked up a coat rack, twirling it around and bashing people in the face with it. I jumped up onto the second landing, my eyes glowing as I grinned wickedly, settling for using my hands and feet to hurt the men there. Sebastian had to yell at me not to go overboard just as I had my claws around a blacked out man’s throat. I growled, dropping him and jumping back down to where Sebastian was, my hands covered in blood once again. He caught the tray as it fell back towards him, clicking his watch open again and checking the time.

“5:34.” He clicked the watch back shut as a man came up from behind, grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm painfully behind his back. When everyone there was taken care of, we walked over to the dining room doors and walked through them, more gunshots sounding after a “THERE THEY ARE!! KILL THEM!!” Sebastian flipped up his tray and deflected a few bullets that came his way while I started dodging them again, dashing around the room.

“Jesus, they’re hopping around like jack-rabbits!!” a man shouted, shooting his gun in my direction. I dodged easily, the grin back on my face. Someone wielding a hatchet came up behind Sebastian, raising it to swing down on his head, until he ducked and kicked his leg up, getting the man right in the jaw and sending him flying back.

“Get all the guys in the west wing!! We’ll turn ‘em into Swiss cheese!!” a man shouted as he ran into another room. I jumped up onto the railing when a gunshot sounded, me being clumsy and getting hit right in the back. I turned around, my eyes glowing as I stalked towards the perpetrator, slashing out my hand and clawing his face, leaving huge gashes.

“Just one mouse after another…” Sebastian mumbled, once more flicking open his pocket watch, “we’re not making the least bit of progress…This will never do. Cassandra! Stop trying to kill people who get in your way!” Sebastian scolded. I glowered down at him.

“But the bastard shot me!!” I snapped back, jumping down and standing next to him while pointing to my back. His eyes went wide before they narrowed dangerously.

“All right, he’s lucky I didn’t get to him first…” he growled. I rolled my eyes at him as he looked back at his watch, “5:38.” He suddenly whipped out…the silver from the house. My jaw dropped as I stared at him before I smacked my forehead, ignoring him as I continued knocking out people while dodging bullets. The knives and forks were soon embedded in the heads and bodies of the goonies, screams and curses littering the room.

“WHO THE HELL IS THIS BASTARD!!” one man yelled, continuing to shoot. Sebastian smirked as he jumped up into the air, dodging the bullets and getting high enough to reach the target he wanted.

_“I am the butler of the Phantomhive family. It goes without saying that such minor feats are within my repertoire._ ” He explained before throwing the silver and killing the last men on the landing. He was now hanging from the crystal chandelier as I dropped the man with a swollen face whose collar was in my grip. He had a frown on his face as he looked around the room.

“Heavens. That was unexpectedly time consuming,” he frowned as he jumped down, landing with a tap next to me and once more opening his watch, “5:43.”

“Show off,” I growled, licking a spot of blood that was on my face. He simply smirked at me as we walked down the hall. I glared over at him.

“…What,” I growled out, preparing to punch him if necessary.

“Just haven’t seen you in such a way for many a year. I almost missed it,” he sighed, faking a pout. I growled at him, my face flushing as I remembered he used to stalk me.

“I don’t care if I’m your mate now, you’re still a stalker,” I bit out, making him chuckle.

“I only ever paid attention to one person,” he grinned, raising his arm and dragging his fingers down my spine and making me nearly melt. Shaking my head quickly after, I punched his arm as we neared the door. Sebastian passed it off as though it was nothing as he opened the doors.

“Pardon our intrusion,” he declared as he stepped into the room, showing the black haired Mafioso member holding a gun in his hand, leaning against the desk behind him. I looked over to see Ciel on the floor in a bloody and bruised mess. He caught my eyes, and I smirked, making his lips pull into a small grin.

“We have come to retrieve our master,” Sebastian and I said at the same time, bowing before Azzuro Vanel, who let out a shaky laugh in response.

“Ha ha…I am amazed. To think you two took out all those men by yourselves. Well I’ll be damned!” Azzuro answered.

“Already are,” I said, covering it with a cough, and acting like I said nothing when he turned his attention to me.

“I was wondering what sort of Big Men you were, but you are nothing more than a Romeo and Juliet swanning around in a swallowtail coat and uniform,” he continued grinning, “well, who are you? Assassins hired by Phantomhive? Or maybe Ex-Special Forces mercenaries? You are not just a butler and maid, yes?”

“Oh but we are,” Sebastian answered with a smirk.

“ _Just a butler and maid_ , that is…” I finished, chuckling lightly.

“Ha! Is that so…? In any case, I have no intention of fighting with you two, Signore Butler and Signora Maid. I surrender,” he chuckled before lashing his hand out and grabbing Ciel by his hair and pointing a gun to his head while holding him up, “However, _I would have you two leave the goods behind.”_ Sebastian face morphed into a frown as he watched Azzuro.

“You do not want a hole in your adorable young master’s head, now do you?” he asked, his smile looking fake and nervous, “if you are a _butler and maid_ as you say, you should both know what this situation calls for, yes?”

“I believe I have what you desire,” Sebastian spoke calmly, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small game box labeled “Mouse3”. Suddenly, blood splurted out from the side of his head, making his eyes go wide. My own went wide at the unexpected shot before more sounded, piercing me through the heart and making me cough blood. More sounded before both of us were full of holes. Appeared I would be playing dead for awhile…

“D-Did we get them?” a voice quietly asked. There were men standing in the frame of a destroyed painting.

“…Hahaha! Sorry Romeo and Juliet…but this game is mine!” Azzuro chuckled, grinning wickedly as he shifted the young earl, still keeping a grip on his hair, now pointing the gun in his face directly.

“And after they went through the trouble of coming to get you…” Azzuro continued, grinning more, “how sad for you, little Phantomhive. You see, up against the ‘Queen’s Watchdog’, I had to have a joker in hand.” He shifted the Earl in his grip again, starting to chuckle some in his “glory”, “and once I have killed you, all will be _perfetto._ You were in our way from the very beginning, watching us like the police! Eeh? I’ll get rid of you, and conquer _Inghilterra_ our way!” Azzuro moved the barrel of the gun so it went under Ciel’s eye patch, moving it out of the way before continuing.

“But I must say, you are too pretty to dismember, Little Phantomhive. I bruised you up a bit, but I should be able to sell you in one piece,” he chuckled, moving the barrel farther and removing the eye patch, the Earl keeping his right eye closed, “now, now, don’t you be frightened. I will drug you so you do not feel a thing by the time a pervert comes to take you away—”

“Hey,” Ciel suddenly spoke, his tone monotonous, “ _play time’s over you two._ ” Azzuro flinched back, his gleeful expression fleeing from his visage entirely, “I can’t imagine the floor makes for comfortable slumber. _Just how long do you two plan to **feign sleep?**_ ” At the comment Sebastian’s hand twitched, and I flexed out my fingers.

“I—!! _IT CAN’T BE!!_ ” Azzuro shouted, whipping around to face us.

“…My goodness,” Sebastian stated, starting to sit up, “the firearms of today have improved greatly in terms of _power,_ have they not? Those from _a hundred years ago_ do not even compare,” he continued, coughing into his hand soon after. I sat up, rubbing the back of my head before coughing myself, speaking between them.

“Can’t say I could agree. This has been the first time I’ve been shot, as you should know…” I gave out one more ragged cough before smirking, lowering my hand from my mouth.

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? KILL THEEEEEEM!!” Azzuro shouted.

“Allow us to return these to you,” Sebastian grinned, lowering his own hand and showing the bullets that were before embedded in his body. We flicked out our wrists and sent them flying into the men who had shot us, killing them instantly. They barely had enough time to scream.

“Alas, what a pity,” Sebastian sighed, standing straight and holding out the ends of his coat, “my _clothes_ are full of holes.”

“Same here,” I echoed with the same tone of mock disappointment, brushing my hands over my apron and sticking my finger through one of the holes.

“That’s because you two were playing around, you idiots,” Ciel glared.

“We were simply following young master’s orders to the letter,” Sebastian smirked, wiping a spot of blood from his face.

“Your order to act as a butler and maid, that is…” I continued, letting my hair down from the ponytail it was in.

“Besides…that really is such a good look for you,” Sebastian chuckled, starting to walk over to Ciel. I nodded in agreement, grinning myself.

“You look just like a caterpillar. It is so hideous and wonderful all at once. It befits one as small and weak as yourself,” I gushed with mock enthusiasm, making Ciel glare at the both of us.

“GET BACK!” Azzuro shouted, though he was completely ignored as Sebastian continued, both of us moving closer.

“I suppose we just thought it lovely to take in the view just a bit longer,” Sebastian grinned, chuckling lightly.

“STOP!!”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Ciel snapped back, glaring coldly at us.

“I said hold it right there!! STOOOP!!” Azzuro shouted, making Sebastian and I freeze, “I-I’m telling you to stop!! Any closer and I will kill him!!”

“Then…what shall we do Cassandra?” Sebastian questioned, holding his chin in thought.

“Quite the problem this is,” I answered, tilting my head to the side while placing a hand on my hip.

“Hurry it up. My arm hurts,” Ciel complained, though his tone still sounded like he was bored.

“SHUT UUUP! BE QUIET!!” Azzuro barked out.

“But young master, you will be killed if we move any closer,” Sebastian smirked, lifting a brow at him and chuckling some again.

“Are you going to deny our ‘covenant’?” Ciel argued back, narrowing his eyes, “just because Cassandra isn’t bound _to me_ , she is to _you_ , and _you_ are bound to follow _my orders.”_

“SHUT UP!!!”

“ _I shall do no such thing,_ ” Sebastian answered calmly, placing a hand over his heart and bowing his head, “ _since **that day,** I have always been young master’s faithful servant. I shall do whatever the young master wishes, in exchange for the sacrifice, and the pleasure that has been offered.”_ I grinned. Ciel was completely right; I didn’t have to follow the Earl’s orders, but I was still bound to Sebastian, which meant I was also bound to Ciel. I grinned more before speaking myself.

“Now then…” I started.

“What the hell are you talking about, you spookies?!” Azzuro ordered, though I could see him shaking.

“Young master,” I continued, placing a finger to my cheek and tilting my head to the other side, “I do believe we taught you how to _beg?”_

“I command you! Rescue me!” Ciel ordered, finally opening his right eye and showing the Devil’s contract seal.

“ _ **I TOLD YOU TO SHUUUUUT UUUUUUP!!!**_ ” Azzuro screamed before pulling the trigger, the barrel originally against the Earl’s head. He stared down in confusion when there was no wound on the boy’s head.

“Wh…Why…is he…alive…” Azzuro asked, starting to shake again.

“Are you looking for something?” Sebastian asked from behind the Italian man, whose eyes went wide as plates, “ _permit me to return this to you,_ ” he stated before dropping the bullet he caught into Azzuro’s coat pocket, “I shall be taking our master back now. Cassandra, if you please?”

“Don’t mind if I do. Mister Vanel, if you would _kindly_ remove your filthy arm from the young master’s person?” I asked sweetly before flicking out my finger. The Italian’s arm twisted painfully, the sound of bones breaking and crunching as it stretched out and twisted filled the room before it was doubled with the man’s screams. Sebastian picked up the Earl and carried him over to the chair I was now sitting in, setting the Earl in my lap. I smiled down at the boy cutely as I started petting his hair, Sebastian proceeding to remove the leather straps and chain he was bound in.

“This game wasn’t all that interesting either,” he mumbled as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against my shoulder, Sebastian easily tearing the leather.

“W-Wait! You…! You are just a butler and maid, right?! I…I can’t die here like this!!” Azzuro pleaded, holding his badly injured and wrung out arm to his person, “I will pay you two, five—no, TEN—times your current wages to be my bodyguards!! You can have all the booze and girls or what else you want!! So…!! Come to my side!!”

“My apologies, Mister Vanel, but I can speak for both Cassandra and myself when I say I have no interest in man-made rubbish, coin or otherwise, for you see,” he paused as he stood once more and turned to face Azzuro, a grin on his face and his eyes were glowing to their demonic red, pupils formed into small slits, “ _I am a devil…of a butler._ ” Azzuro’s face paled as he stared at the two demons before him, my own eyes glowing again as I continued petting Ciel’s hair, the boy opening his eyes once more to watch.

“So long as the young master possesses the ‘mark of the covenant’, I am his faithful dog,” he began explaining as he pulled his left glove off with his teeth, “a ‘sacrifice’, a ‘wish’, and a ‘covenant’ bind me to my master, _**until I claim his soul.**_ ” He finished, holding up his hand and showing his half of the contract seal. I smirked, hugging the child while still petting his hair and resting my head atop his. He didn’t seem to mind as he looked at the Italian man with boredom.

“Too bad for you,” he started as Sebastian’s shadow started to morph and flick outwards;

“ _This game is over.”_

* * *

“WHAT THE HELL!! Whose idea was it to make chopsticks outta the trees in the garden ‘cos we ain’t got any silver?!” Baldroy shouted while holding twig and a box-cutter knife in his hand.

“Mister Baldo’s…” the others mumbled, sitting on the ground and hugging their knees. Tanaka was busy playing with a bamboo dragonfly.

“Haaaaah…Mister Sebastian and Miss Cassandra are really late getting back,” Mey-rin mumbled, looking skyward.

“They aaaaare, right? It’ll be dinner time soon. Ah!” Finny stated, jumping up when he saw Sebastian, Ciel, and myself walking down the path towards them, Ciel being held by Sebastian with a frown on his face, which was the exact opposite of the butler’s.

“Mister Sebastian and Miss Cassandra! Welcome home!” the two before moping servants called.

“We have returned,” Sebastian stated simply, smiling politely. All three servants stared at us before blanching.

“Mister Sebastian!! Miss Cassandra!! What happened to your clothes!?” Mey-rin yelped, looking overly worried.

“Sebastian, your message was too hard to understand!!” Baldo barked, still holding the twig.

“Young master Ciel, you’re hurt!! Wait, the young master was out too?” Finny hollered before his expression went into confusion.

“I just tripped outside…” Ciel mumbled, starting to inwardly shrink when the maid and gardener stared at him in awe, “…what is it?”

“My message?” Sebastian questioned.

“The pie! THE PIE!!” Baldo clarified, his arms crossed in a huff. I simply turned my attention to Tanaka, taking one of the extra toys and tossing it in the air, playing with it much like Tanaka was.

“That’s…like ‘up, up, and away’!” Finny gushed, “looks fun!”

“Being carried around like a princess…oooh, how nice…” Mey-rin mumbled with a small blush and making my brow twitch. She seemed to be getting on my nerves a lot lately…

“THERE’S NOTHING FUN ABOUT IT WHATSOEVER!!” Ciel shouted, hitting Finny over the head and giving him a triple-decker ice-cream scoop.

“I thought so hard I couldn’t do anything!” Baldo continued in his argument.

“So you have YET to do anything…” Sebastian mumbled before hitting him over the head, the chef getting the triple-decker ice-cream scoop and then some.

“Young master,” Sebastian said after, getting even my attention, “forgive me. As butler to the Phantomhive family, this is an unpardonable disgrace…I do not know how I should atone for this…” I wanted to smack myself, or him, on the forehead if he said what I thought he was going to, “I have been unable to prepare dinner this evening.” I smacked my forehead.

~A Few Days Later~  
Baldo, Mey-rin, Finny, Tanaka, and I were in the kitchen, Baldo having his nose stuck in the newspaper.

“Let’s see, let’s see! Ferro Company, an Italian trading firm. Someone attacked them, and there were loads of casualties…?” I started shrinking in my seat some, though I couldn’t help a small smirk from appearing on my face.

“Did something happen in London?” Mey-rin questioned, carrying the laundry basket.

“Sure sounds like it,” Baldo responded, “the survivors could only say things like ‘monsters’ or ‘devils’, so they all got sent to the hospital,” he explained further, making me glance around the room as a distraction.

“That’s scaaaary! What could it have beeeeen?!” Finny sobbed, shaking some.

“There were rumors that Ferro was doing terrible things for money,” Baldo continued in the explanation, whapping the paper in his hand, “ _so his victims’ grudges became vengeful spirits~~!”_ he finished, laughing wickedly to scare the maid and gardener further. A clap suddenly sounded, scaring the two.

“IT’S A G-G-G-GHOST!!!” they screamed, preparing to run away when I stuck out my leg and tripped them, which made them tackle Baldo.

“…What are you all doing?” Sebastian asked, appalled at the state they were in.

“Ah…Mister Sebastian…” they muttered, remaining on the ground.  
“If you have time to fool around, hurry up and get back to work!!” the black clad butler ordered, pushing them up off the floor before they booked it back to their stations. He picked up the newspaper and shook it out, letting out a huff.

“Really…” he mumbled, “what was all that fuss about…?” he glanced down at the paper, scanning through it before smirking.

“Looks like we made the papers,” I sighed, twirling a lock from my bangs between my fingers in boredom. Sebastian chuckled as he walked over to me, leaning over and kissing my brow, making me close the eye it was over and making him chuckle again. I gave a pout, crossing my arms with a huff before biting my cheek. A bell sounded, catching our attention before Sebastian tossed the paper onto the table. I stood up and walked over to the door.

“Oh dear, what could the young master want now?” Sebastian started before I moved quickly past him, smirking.

“You’ll never know if I beat you there~” I grinned, rushing down the hall to Ciel’s office. Sebastian chuckled, easily catching up to me.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhhh, that line. Cieeeeeel  
> Loving this one, but I haven't been working much on it (bad girl)  
> If you are enjoying please continue to read!


	8. A Butler's Work is Never Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A butler's work is never done, even when you're a demon. Sebastian's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All character's from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso

~Sebastian’s POV~  
_A butler begins his day early. He is the last to finish his work late at night, and the first to begin work in the morning. Such is the duty of a butler who manages the household._

“Hmm, my hair has grown rather long…” the black clad butler mumbled, looking at his reflection in the mirror after fixing his tie. The maid who shared his quarters sat up in bed, her every appearance of someone who was most definitely NOT a morning person. She yawned as she stretched her arms over her head, letting them drop to her sides after. Sebastian couldn’t help but notice the straps of her gown fall over her shoulders, making his lips quirk.

“You need to stop fussing about it,” she yawned out, standing up and stretching again, “pretty sure it was longer in Hell…”

“Either way, it’s a pity. I cannot trim it as I please…” Sebastian let out a small sigh before grabbing his swallow tailed coat and tugging it on while walking out of the room, “humans are most troublesome.” He glanced back at the red-haired woman as she tugged the nightgown over her head, unable to help his eyes from wandering before he turned around and walked out the door to the kitchen area.

_His first task is to assign the day’s work to the servants._

The kitchen doors swung open to show the other servants sitting around the table, Baldroy the only one not completely awake yet.

“Good morning everyone,” Sebastian greeted, earning mumbled replies back, “it is about time you should all be getting your work. Mey-rin, see to the linens. Finny, tend to the trees in the garden. Baldo, please make preparations for lunch. And Mister Tanaka, please go have some tea,” he finished with the list of chores, getting salutes and “yes sir’s” from the servants, “provided you have understood your duties, off you go! Step lively!” the butler concluded, clapping his hands for emphasis and to get them going. Cassandra walked in not long after, all dressed up in her uniform. Sebastian let his eyes wander again, the image of her not wearing anything imprinted in his brain. He opened his mouth to give the list of chores when she whipped up her hand, stopping his statement.

“All I’m doing is cleaning up after the others. I can hardly stand thanks to you,” she growled as she sat down and causing him to smirk.

“Don’t deny you enjoyed it,” Sebastian purred, smirking more at her and earning a steely glare. He chuckled before beginning to prepare the young master’s breakfast and tea.

_Once he has dispatched the servants, he prepares early morning tea and breakfast in time for the master’s awakening._

Once finished with the preparations, the butler placed everything on a cart before bringing everything to Ciel’s room, pausing to knock on the door.

“Pardon me, sir,” he announced before opening the door and walking inside, “good morning, young master. It is time for you to wake up,” he paused again to open the curtains, washing the room with light, “it is a fine day today,” he finished with a grin, glancing over his shoulder at the boy. Ciel groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he squinted them against the light.

_The master of the house, Earl Ciel Phantomhive, rules a vast domain at the age of twelve. He is also the president of “Funtom”, a toy and confectionery manufacturer, and has grown “Funtom” into a massive corporation within a very short amount of time with his gifts of cunning and management._

“Today’s tea is the Assam, hm?” Ciel questioned through a yawn as the black clad demon began pouring the drink. His face still held bandages from his most recent “game”.

“Just as I would expect from the young master,” Sebastian praised before picking up the tea cup and saucer, as well as the newspaper, “I had heard that good tea leaves were ready in Assam, so I had some sent here.” Ciel took the newspaper and tea cup, taking a sip of the luke warm drink while flipping open the newspaper.

“By the way, I’ve invited the children of Earl Burton’s orphanage to the manor,” the boy stated, skimming over the pages of the paper in his hand.

_A Nobel’s wealth exists to contribute to society. They practice charity using their abundant fortunes. The distinguished Phantomhive family also engages in volunteer activities without exception._

“That is a splendid idea. When will they be joining us?” Sebastian asked calmly, keeping a smile on his face.

“ _ **Tomorrow,**_ ” Ciel answered simply. The butler kept the smile on his face, but he started to pale a bit.

_Tomorrow?_

_Why this little bra—young master. Does he believe he can get anything done so long as I am here to take care of it? He works his people far too hard._

Sebastian quickly composed himself, smiling politely at the young earl and bowing.

“Very well sir. I shall entertain even the littlest guests in a manner worthy of the Phantomhive name,” Sebastian declared, taking back the now empty tea cup from Ciel, “oh yes, and the Herend Chinoiserie tea set you ordered just the other day has arrived, sir,” he set the cup back on the tray before dressing the child, “therefore, afternoon tea for today will be Keemun. We also have berries, so I think a summer pudding of currants and other berries might do nicely. What do you think?”

“Do what you will,” Ciel responded monotonously as his coat was shrugged on before Sebastian leaned down to tie the young master’s ribbon.

“Very good sir. Then I shall set about the preparations for tomorrow at once.”

_Now then, here begins the butler’s true work._

Sebastian made his way back to the kitchen’s noticing Cassandra’s absence, which was somewhat of a relief to him, seeing as how he would more than likely be distracted with taunting her, among other things, than doing his master’s bidding. He removed his coat, rolled up his sleeves, tied an apron around his waist, and tugged his gloves back down his hands before clapping them.

“Well, shall we get started?”

_Finely chop the best dark and milk coverture and mix. Melt over a bowl of 60oC water. After boiling and then cooling slightly, add some fresh cream. Cool while stirring, and add some contreau when the mixture is at body temperature. Then pour into the—_

_“GYAAAAH!!”_ Sebastian suddenly heard, snapping him out of his concentration.

“What is going on?” he asked himself before setting down the chocolate mix and going to see why Mey-rin screamed.

“Mey-rin? What on earth is going—”

“MISTER SEBASTIAAAN!!” Mey-rin cried, dashing towards him in a panic, and completely covered in bubbles, her eyes tearing up behind her glasses.

“ _Why are there bubbles everywhere?!”_ Sebastian hollered, looking at the huge mess of the laundry room.

“This detergent! I put it in!” Mey-rin sobbed, holding up the box, “XXX spoonfuls, just as the directions say, but something seems to have gone wrooong!” Sebastian took the box from the panic stricken maid, looking at the directions labeled on the box while Mey-rin continued sobbing.

“Mey-rin. This reads _III_ spoonful’s, not _XXX,_ ” Sebastian told her monotonously, shocking the distraught maid.

_Why this imbec—that is to say, housemaid. It would seem the problem no longer lies in her eyesight. Why does she fail to realize that there is something clearly wrong with her own brain and not the instructions?_

_Word has it that the public adores silly maids, but I do not think I will ever understand it. And I have no intention of ever trying to do so._

_**I myself would like to wring her neck.** _

“Haah…All right. For the moment, please leave this to me,” Sebastian sighed before mopping up the suds, wringing out the linens, and hanging them to dry outside, letting out a heavy sigh while wiping his forehead when he was finished. The maid looked at the completed work in awe afterwards.

“I still have much to do, so I shall be taking my leave. Please return to work as well,” the butler hastily told the maid, quickly returning to the kitchens to finish his work, “really. All this when I am running short on time. And where in the world is Cassandra…?” the butler mused before finally reentering the kitchen, setting right back to work, “Now, where was I…?”

_Place the water and butter into a skillet and bring to a boil. Extinguish the gas. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture. After stirring the mixture quickly with a wooden spatula, heat on a low flame—_

“What is it this time?!” Sebastian hollered, once more setting down what he was working on to see what caused the explosion in the rear kitchens. What he found was a covered in soot chef holding a humongous gun. The walls had turned black with the burn marks from the explosion.

“Well, ya see, I got this new weapon from back home, but it doesn’t work at all. Geez!” Baldroy complained, though he had a ridiculous grin on his face.

“Making roast lamb with lavender does not require that much heat…” Sebastian huffed out, sounding completely exhausted, “to begin with, is that even a tool for cooking?”

“Don’cha sweat the details!!” Baldroy hollered, removing the goggles from his face, “ _Cooking is art! And art is an explosion!!_ ”

“Is it now…”

_Why, this imbec—rather, chef. You should talk after you have actually “cooked” something. I believe **eighty percent** of what you have managed to “cook” has been **charcoal,** the other twenty percent being hazardous waste._

_Save your art for you hairstyle, and cook something edible, otherwise…_

_**I wish for you to become charcoal yourself.** _

“Haah, all right. We still have the ground meat and vegetables, so let us make do with that,” Sebastian sighed before proceeding to chop the potatoes, roll the cooked ground meat in the cabbage, and simmer the potatoes before finishing the meal; stuffed cabbage and minted potato salad.

“This should suffice for the time being. I leave the tidying up to you,” Sebastian hastily said before rushing once again to his work, started to become more than irritated, “unbelievable! Not one shred of my work is getting done! And what the bloody hell is Cassandra doing?! She said she would take care of them!” he huffed before letting out a sigh and continuing to his work, “let us finish this right away.”

_Spread the brown sugar on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 80oC—_

“UWAAAAAAAAAAAHN!!” the last servant to appear cried as he crashed into Sebastian causing him to spill the bag of sugar in his hands.

“Now it is your turn, I take it…” the butler mumbled, Finny clinging to him as the boy sobbed.

“UWAAAAAAAHN!! MISTER SEBASTIAAAAN!!” Finny cried out, not stopping his tears.

“Are you an infant? I can discern not a word if you persist with your crying. What happened?” Sebastian asked, and not long after regretted the decision. Finny had led him out to the garden to show him the completely destroyed area.

“I was going to trim the branches and the lawn, but I forgot all about the herbicide sprayer being broken a while back!!” Finny started explaining before breaking out into sobs once more.

_Why, this imbec— **THIS IMBECILE!!** How can a gardener be so clumsy? Though the saying goes “an idiot and a pair of scissors can both be of use”, giving this useless idiot a pair of scissors is trouble in itself._

_He refers to something that happened two or three days ago as being “a while back”. The way his brain can easily cast aside a blunder of that degree…_

_**I have surpassed anger, and I am, in fact, rather impressed.** _

“Haaah…There is nothing even I can do about this. Go and buy some trees at the garden shop,” Sebastian sighed, reaching into his pocket to pull out the currency needed.

“What sort of trees should I get?” Finny asked, still sniffling some.

“You are the gardener. The design of the garden is your responsibility. Purchase whatever you deem appropriate.” Finny immediately perked up at the statement.

“EH?! THEN! THEN! I WANNA MAKE A GARDEN AS COOL AS A COMBO ROBOT!! MAY I?!”

“A robot?”

_I have lived quite some time, but this is my first encounter with a **being from outer space.** How does he expect me to respond to his beaming smile?_

Sebastian remained completely silent as the gardener watched him, slowly tilting his head to the side.

“Mister Sebastian?” Said butler gasped, snapping back to reality, “the young master’ll get angry, so do please give me the money RIIIIGHT QUIIIICK! Sheesh, you can’t just let your mind wander off like that~!” Finny scolded, making the butler shudder in reaction. The gardener quickly grabbed the money, leaving behind an exhausted looking butler. Even his hair had begun to fall out.

_I have had enough. At times like these, yes…I want to see **her.**_

The man quickly turned from the destroyed garden and started running through the house to a different area of the garden that was kept hidden.

_A supple body, flowing black hair. Fierce eyes that shine like amber. I must hurry to the place where she awaits me._

Sebastian burst through the door and slammed it shut behind him, letting out a big sigh.

_Yes…to—…Wait a minute…_

Sebastian stared in shock at the scene before him. His feline companion and his mate were crouched low in the grass, tails swaying in sync with each other as they watched a swallowtail butterfly on a nearby blade of grass. It was completely silent until both leaped towards the insect, both missing it by just a fraction.

“Aw, man! So close too!” Cassandra whined as she watched the bug fly away, falling back on her rear and picking up the black furred feline, “perchance next time, no? There is more than one butterfly in the world you know.”

“Indeed there is,” Sebastian commented, making the demon maid jump. She whipped her head around to see the black clad butler, and her face immediately went a dark crimson as she flustered, trying to turn and hide her tail. Sebastian simply laughed at her attempts.

“You asshole, why in the hell are you laughing!” she cried out, prepared to seriously maim him if he got any closer. He paused, tilting his head as he looked down at her.

“…..W-what?” she asked cautiously, starting to back away from him. He smirked as he suddenly reached out, gripping one of her wrists and pinning her down.

“You should have this side of you come out more often,” Sebastian purred in that apple sweet voice he knew made the woman melt while dragging his other hand down her spine. Her eyes went wide before she let out a loud purr, her eyes hooded over before she gasped and shook her head, struggling to get away from him. He chuckled again and moved his face close, just about to kiss her when a small “meow” made him pause. He felt a sudden pressure at the base of his neck, and Cassandra was the one to laugh this time. The feline had jumped onto the bird’s back, a perfectly content look on her face as she watched the two interact. Sebastian sighed lightly, taking the feline off his back and moving off of Cassandra. The woman propped herself up on her elbows, not entirely caring about her now disheveled appearance.

“Did you even give her a name?” she asked with a bored tone, lifting a brow at Sebastian.

“Afraid not. I couldn’t find anything that fit well enough,” he sighed in answer, holding the cat up to look her in the eye.

“…How about Vivienne?” Cassandra suggested, moving to lie on her side. Sebastian blinked at her with wide eyes before looking back at the much smaller feline.

“Vivienne…It suits her,” he grinned, rubbing a spot on the now named feline’s head and making her purr loudly, “I find cats most agreeable. They only say (do) that which is necessary, and are quite adorable,” he smirked, “that includes you as well.” Cassandra took the hint and looked away from him, biting the inside of her cheek.

“Shame they don’t exist in our world,” Sebastian frowned, still petting Vivienne.

“Well it’s not like we don’t have ANY pets, but…” Cassandra chimed in, glancing over at the confused feline, “…they leave much to be desired…”

“Agreed…” Sebastian smirked suddenly, glancing over at Cassandra and making her flinch. His smirk morphed into a grin as he released Vivienne and grabbed ahold of Cassandra once more, setting her on his lap.

“You, on the other hand…” he started, dropping his sentence as he nuzzled his face in her neck, making her shiver. She started flustering before pushing away from him, glaring some at him.

“Don’t you have a project to finish up?” she growled before standing in a huff and leaving the back garden. He blinked after her before standing himself and walking to the door, pausing to bid Vivienne a good day and that he would see her tomorrow.

* * *

“Dear me,” Sebastian sighed, wiping his forehead, “after countless interruptions, this is all I could manage, hm?”

“MISTER SEBASTIAAAAAAAAAN!!” the three servants hollered as they burst through the doors.

“Yes? Now what?” All three froze at the sight before them; tables were lined out across the room, covered in confectionery goods, and there was a large chocolate casting of Big Ben, London Bridge, and finally the Wild Earl, all of which were adorned with chocolate roses.

“WOOOOOW!! It’s chocolate!!” Finny gushed.

“So this is what you were up to while you made us do all the work?” Baldo grumbled, biting down on the match in his mouth.

“Made you do all the work…?” Sebastian questioned.

“Are these all sweets?!” Mey-rin yelped, looking every-which-way around the room in awe.

“We are inviting children here tomorrow, so this is for them,” Sebastian explained, tilting his head some.

“All this just for some brats? Whoa, crazy,” Baldo stated, crossing his arms in annoyance, though still surveying the entire scene laid out before him.

“THAT’S MISTER SEBASTIAN FOR YOU!!” Mey-rin and Finny hollered in excitement.

“But…what sort of statue is this?” Finny asked while looking up at the Earl.

“What do you mean? It is the Wild Earl of whom you are so fo—!!!” Sebastian stared in shock as he looked up to see the head of the character…missing.

“The head of the Earl that I casted so precisely is…!!” he stammered before sending a cold glare at the servants, making them flinch.

“Hey, hey! We were working up until now!” Baldo shouted in defense.

“Yes, quite right. We could not have stolen the Earl’s head!” Mey-rin continued, waving her hands in a panic while Finny nodded vigorously in agreement.

“That means…” Everyone came to the realization quickly, and the hunt began for the house steward (?) Mister Tanaka. While running Sebastian suddenly gasped, noticing what time it was.

“I cannot deal with this now! It is time for afternoon tea. I will prepare it, so please do your utmost to search out Mister Tanaka!” Sebastian ordered before dashing to the kitchen and hastily preparing the tea.

_Leaving matters in the hands of those good-for-nothings causes me no end of worry. I must return as soon as possible._

Sebastian knocked once before opening the door of Ciel’s office, announcing himself before freezing at the sight of the Wild Earl’s half eaten head on the desk. Ciel and Cassandra were sound asleep in the boy’s large chair, the young master having his head resting on the woman’s shoulder and tucked under her chin, and both had small areas of smeared chocolate on their faces. Sebastian blinked at the pair with wide eyes, before nearly collapsing in exhaustion.

“Really…Young master…” he sighed before walking over to the open window and closing it, “you even left the window wide open. Despite _my presence_ here, leaving yourself completely vulnerable will never do,” he scolded quietly with a huff.

_Useless servants. A mercurial master. Being a butler is far from easy. But I feel living in this manor is not too bad…for…_

Sebastian stared at Ciel’s face for a moment before grinning, reaching over and pinching his cheek and pulling.

“ _Young master! Please wake up! How many times have I told you not to snack on the sly?! And Cassandra, he keeps doing such because you dote on him so much!!_ ” Sebastian shouted, waking up the young earl and maid. Ciel let out a yelp, flinching back while Cassandra meowed loudly in shock, jolting out of her slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay! sebastian's chapter is up! Really enjoyed writing in his POV, especially concerning feline Cassie.
> 
> Up next is the Jack the Ripper arc!


	9. A Visit with an Old Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Undertaker and Cassie seem to be already acquainted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso

“Young master, yet more letters for you have arrived today,” Sebastian said with a polite smile as he dropped a tied stack of invitations on the young Earl’s desk. The blue haired boy frowned, resting his head in his hand with a look of annoyance on his face.

“The season is nearly over, damned idlers,” he grumbled, reaching for the stack of envelopes, “yet they’re all in search of guests for their silly balls…nothing good happens in London.” Ciel gave a huff of annoyance as he untied the knot holding the letters together, casting them aside as he listed off the names on the back of each. Sebastian stood behind the earl, crossing off the names of the declined letters. He froze his tossing motions when he came upon a letter with a very special seal placed upon it, his showing eye widening when he saw it.

“This is…”

“A letter from the queen?” I asked, walking over to the desk and peering down at the envelope. Ciel’s expression turned grim as he picked up a letter opener and sliced the envelope open, pulling the letter out after and reading its contents. He let out a sigh soon after, standing and walking out from behind his desk.

“There’s no avoiding it. Cassandra, Sebastian, prepare my things. We’re going to London.”

* * *

_The English summer is brief. May through August, when the weather is at its best, is known as “the season”, and the aristocrats travel from their manors to their London town houses to socialize._

The carriage pulled up in front of the decently sized town house in the crowded streets of London, staying still as Sebastian stepped out and turned to help the young master.

“It has been awhile since the young master last came to the town house,” Sebastian mentioned as Ciel stepped out, an annoyed scowl on his features. I followed after him, my uniform temporarily concealed by a black coat, the design similar to Sebastian’s.

“I would be here if not for ‘that letter’,” Ciel started, still looking slightly annoyed, “there are so many people I can’t even walk properly.” Ciel gave a slight huff of discomfort as a stranger brushed past him before the three of us made our way to the door of the town house, soon making our way inside. Sebastian kept the polite smile on his face as he led the young master to the study.

“It may prove a nice respite for you to leave the manor sometimes,” the butler started, trying to reassure the boy, “those four are nowhere to be found, so you will be able to spend your days in peace.” He opened the study door, his eyes still averted to his master, but Ciel and I blanched upon the sight we were brought to.

“Good heavens, where _do_ they keep the tea in this house?” a woman dressed entirely in red drawled out as she tossed books from the shelf, a blank expression on her face.

“I don’t see it anywhere,” an Asian man sighed, crouched on the ground as he looked inside of a jar. Sebastian’s brow twitched when he took on the scene, though he still kept a smile on his face.

_“MADAM RED?! LAU?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE…?!_ ” Ciel shouted, getting the others attention, a black haired man popping up from behind one of the chairs.

“Oh! You got here rather quickly,” Madam Red said, blinking at Ciel like nothing was wrong, a smile appearing on her face soon after, “I’ve come to see my lovely nephew, who told me he was making his way to London.”

“Why, hello Lord Earl,” Lau said, he eyes closed, though they always seemed to be, “I heard rumors that something of interest was afoot.” Sebastian cleared his throat and set a polite smile back on his face, bowing before the three guests. I stood next to Ciel, our expressions clearly screaming annoyance.

“We apologize for not being able to greet our honorable guests,” Sebastian started, “I will have elevenses ready momentarily, so please wait a while.”

“A most troublesome pair has gone and shown up…” Ciel and I grumbled, still more than peeved. So much for spending our days in peace…

* * *

“What a lovely aroma,” Angelina gushed when the tea was brought by myself and Sebastian, “especially when prepared correctly.”

“Today, the tea is Jackson’s ‘Earl Grey’,” I said as I poured a cup for the red attired woman and the Chinaman.

“Earl Grey can taste this different?! Grelle, you should follow their example,” Angelina sighed, speaking to her own butler, the black haired man with the red ribbon. The man simpered some as he bowed his head some. Sebastian walked over to the Madam and set down her treat.

“In any case,” she started up, catching the butler’s attention before he shot up straight, jolting when Angelina started patting his rear, “you are a most handsome fellow, no matter how many times I look at you! Why don’t you come to my place instead of working at a manor house?!” she gushed. My brow twitched, and I had to hold back from crushing the tea pot handle in my grip, of which was made of metal. No doubt it now held indentations of my fingers where I gripped it.

“ _AHEM!!_ Madam Red…” Ciel warned, glancing up at me before quickly looking away again.

“Ah, sorry. Couldn’t help myself~” the woman apologized, rubbing the back of her head with a goofy grin on her face.

“Let’s get right down to it,” Ciel started, setting down his tea cup, “a few days ago, a prostitute was killed in Whitechapel.”

“Ah, that incident the papers have been making a fuss over, yes? I know of it,” Angelina answered with a smirk, resting her head in her hand.

“But, there must be something _more_ to it if you’re here,” Lau mentioned, his eyes still closed.

“Yes, this is no simple murder,” Ciel continued, picking up his cup once more, “it is psychotic…better yet, abnormal. That’s what concerns ‘her’.” He finished, leaning back in his seat as Sebastian set down a slice of cake in front of him.

“What do you mean?” Angelina asked.

“The victim, Mary Ann Nichols, was ripped to shreds with some sort of specialized cutting instrument,” Sebastian explained, standing up straight as Ciel took a bite from the cake.

“The city police and the local prostitutes have dubbed the killer _‘Jack the Ripper’,_ ” Ciel said, his face grim. I stood in silence behind him, my expression holding a bit of a smirk, though my face was mostly hidden.

“I too hurried to London to verify the situation,” Ciel continued, once more leaning back in his seat.

“And I too am very curious,” Lau started with a chuckle, “to see what the Queen’s Watchdog will sniff out. _However…have you the courage to gaze upon the scene of the crime?”_ Lau asked, tilting his head some to the side, his visage holding the same smirk I had.”

“…What are you getting at?” Ciel asked, his showing eyes narrowing.

“ _The darkness and bestial odor that saturates the scene will eat away at those with the same karma_ ,” Lau continued as he stood from his seat and began making his way to Ciel, “ _ **you may be trapped in the darkness should you set foot there,**_ ” he paused as he stopped in front of the young earl, reaching up a hand and caressing the side of his face, his thumb brushing the earl’s cheek right under his showing eye, “ _are you prepared for that, Earl Phantomhive?”_

“I am here to eliminate the source of ‘her’ stress,” Ciel answered sternly, looking Lau dead in the eye, “do not waste my time with your worthless questions.”

“ _…Yes, lovely…Those eyes of yours…_ ” Lau mumbled, a smirk still on his face before it changed to a goofy grin as he grabbed the boy’s hand and tugged him out of the chair, ready to dash off, “well, since that’s now been decided, let’s be off Lord Earl!”

“NOW WAIT!!” Angelina hollered, stopping the Chinaman’s motions, “Really! Men have no patience! At least relax and finish your tea. Then I’ll join you too,” she said in a huff, sitting back down in her seat after, and I couldn’t help but agree with her on that one, “so where is this crime scene, Lau?”

“Did you not know, madam?” Lau asked, looking back over at her with a small shrug, “Well I never! Then I suppose we’ll just have to ask someone around here. Dear, oh dear,” Lau sighed, giving a small frown. I had to resist the urge to slap my forehead, and I could see Sebastian’s and Ciel’s brow twitch.

“YOU WERE BABBLING ON WHEN YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW YOURSELF?!” Angelina shrieked, looking ready to seriously maim Lau.

“Quiet down!” Ciel ordered, sitting back down in his chair with exhaustion, “no one said we were going to the scene of the crime.”

“Eh?” Lau and Angelina asked at the same time.

“You wouldn’t be able to do much anyway because the place is full of spectators, and the yard won’t take kindly to the young master being there,” I interjected, placing a hand on Ciel’s shoulder to keep him calm. He glanced over at me before turning back and nodding in agreement, “if you don’t believe me, I heard whispers of it as we approached here earlier today. Word travels fast through London, so it’s no shock such a large crowd would be there.”

“Then what do you plan to do?” Angelina asked, her expression grim.

“ _My lord…don’t tell me…_ ” Lau started, his expression one of horror.

“Yes, _that’s right,_ ” Ciel started, his own expression grim, though for different reasons, “I’d like to avoid it myself, but that isn’t an option. _He_ is the most reliable source of information regarding crimes like this.”

* * *

“…So…Where are we?” Lau said bluntly, a goofy grin on his face as he motioned to the shop in front of us, completely ignorant per usual. I actually slapped my forehead this time.

“WEREN’T YOU JUST ACTING LIKE YOU KNEW ALL ABOUT IT?!” Angelina shouted. Grelle stood in front of her, attempting to control her temper.

“The young master’s acquaintance is an Undertaker,” Sebastian explained as he opened the shop door.

“An Undertaker?” Lau repeated, following inside after Ciel, Sebastian, and I.

“Are you in Undertaker?” Ciel asked aloud, receiving no immediate answer. Soon a soft cackle was heard through out the shop.

“Hee hee! I…have been expecting you… _I bid ye welllllllcome, Lord Earl…_ ” A voice spoke as one of the coffins creaked open just as the other three were passing by it, making the poor excuse of a butler to collapse in shock. Madam Red’s face was one of shock and fear, her jaw dropped, and shockingly, so was Lau’s.

“Has your lordship finally decided to step into the coffin I’ve made specially for you…?!” he cackled in an eerie voice, stepping out of the blackened box.

“I think not. Today I am—” the boy was stopped when the Undertaker pressed a black, long nailed finger to the Earl’s nose, chuckling as he did.

“You don’t need to put it in words~ I understand veeeery well what milord wishes to say~” Undertaker cackled, wiggling his fingers some as he did, “she wasn’t a ‘client’ in the ‘ordinary folk’ sense of the word. See, I cleaned her up riiight nice and pretty~” he continued, still chuckling.

“…I want to hear about that,” Ciel said, his face serious.

“Then let’s have a chat~ I’ll make some tea or something. Won’t you just take a seat over there?” the creepy man asked politely, while he waved his hand in a dismissive motion, directing his attention to me after, “would you please come with me to help, miss maid~?” he asked, grinning at me. I saw Sebastian stiffen at the words, but I followed after the silver-haired man nonetheless. I walked into the kitchen area after him before the smile soon settled on my face. It wasn’t just my father who had told me stories of the human world after all, and I had this man to thank for it. The man turned after entering the room and setting the kettle to boil, his arms spread out wide for a hug. I grinned more as I walked over to him and hugged him, still smiling as I pulled away.

“Been a long time since we last spoke, hasn’t it little kit~?” Undertaker asked, still grinning at me as he ruffled my hair, “my, my, how much you’ve grown since then~”

“It hasn’t been all that long,” I chuckled.

“Either way, how is your father doing? Still as irritable as ever I presume~?” he asked as he moved around the kitchen grabbing a few cleaned beakers and setting them on the counter. I rolled my eyes at him as I leaned against it, crossing my arms as I did.

“You know he only ever doted on me. He was only hard on my brothers,” I scoffed, though I was extremely happy it wasn’t the other way around.

“Oh you had your moments, don’t lie about it~” he cackled, grabbing a biscuit jar and pulling one out to munch on before offering me one. I gladly took one, nibbling on it lightly as he took the kettle off the stove, pouring it into the beakers after with the tea.

“Though I must admit I’m little surprised to find you in the human realm. Did you sneak out or something?” he asked with a tilt of his head, a small frown on his face before he grinned wickedly, “your father must be fuming if you did~~”

“Sorry to disappoint, but he actually let me come here, though I had to make a bit of a deal myself,” I grumbled, frowning as I took a bite of the biscuit. Undertaker frowned some before his mouth went into in “oh” shape before he started laughing hysterically, no doubt making the others in the room jump at the sudden loud noise. I shook my head, groaning some in annoyance. He continued laughing, and for once I wanted to punch him and mean it.

“You mean you actually went along with—” I whapped may hand over his mouth before he could say Sebastian’s true name, my eyes set in a steely glare.

“You know as well as I do how taboo it is to say a demon’s true name,” I hissed out between my teeth. Fortunately, the man was still laughing some, so my words would have been harder to hear. He removed my hand soon after, still chuckling.

“All right, but either way, YOU still went along with HIM,” he chuckled, picking up the beakers, “but I do suppose that’s why he stiffened up when I asked you to come with me~”

“Good God, you’re like a woman with gossip,” I groaned, rolling my eyes at him. He started laughing again in answer as he brought the drinks out of the kitchen, handing them to the others before walking back and sitting behind his desk. I followed out after him, the biscuit still in my hand. Sebastian raised a brow at me when I walked back over, and I responded with a smirk and a bite from the rest of the bone shaped treat in my hand.

“Now then,” Undertaker stated as he sat down, pulling out another jar and opening it to reveal more biscuits, “you want to hear about Jack the Ripper, yessss? The Yard’s starting to get their knickers in a bunch about it now, but this isn’t the first time I’ve had a client like this,” he finished, taking a bite of biscuit afterwards.

“A beaker…Anyways,” Angelina started, looking up at the silver haired man, “not the first time? What do you mean?”

“In the past, there’ve been a number of cases involving murdered whores,” Undertaker explained, munching on another biscuit before standing up and offering one to the Earl, who passed, “but their intensity and cruelty continues to escalate,” he walked back over to his desk and sat back down in the chair, crossing his legs with a bit of a grin, “the Yard failed to notice because the murders weren’t terribly bloody at the outset, but all the prostitutes in Whitechapel have all had a little something in common~”

“ _Something in common_ , you say?” Sebastian asked, raising a brow at the man. Undertaker grinned more as he faced the group again, covering the biscuit jar.

“Well what could it be? Whatever could it be? Wouldn’t you like to know?” he chuckled, making Ciel pale.

“I see. That’s how it is,” Lau stated, rising from his seat on from one of the coffins, “being an undertaker is only his façade for normal society. How much do you want for the information?” Lau asked with a small grin, making Undertaker twitch.

“ _How much?_ ” he asked before lunging out of his seat towards Lau, making the man jump, “ _I do not desire a single one of the Queen’s coins. Now milord_ ,” he cackled, his attention turning to the Earl and holding the boy’s face in his hands, “ _give it to me…Bestow upon me the **choicest laughter!!** Then I shall tell you anything!!”_ Undertaker gushed, already chuckling some with excitement as he sunk back behind his desk.

“That creep…” Ciel mumbled, shuddering some. Sebastian remained silent beside him, but I wasn’t that surprised he had asked such a thing. It wasn’t often, but he had asked the same of me when I wanted to hear a story. The prime source of his entertainment was when I was able to beat my brothers when I was still but a child.

“Heh…Lord Earl,” Lau started, “please. Allow me to handle this.” He rose from his seat and began making his way towards Undertaker, “ _People have called me the Sleeping Tiger of New Year’s parties in Shang Hai, and now I shall…DEMONSTRATE THAT IN FULL!_ ” he declared, pulling out a random bouquet of flowers, “a fool on the futon…oh?” I wanted to smack my forehead at the lame pun.

“You’ll never do, Lau,” Madam Red started, stepping forward herself, “Very well. _Madam Red, star of social circles, shall share with you her best tale!!”_ she declared before starting into a VERY lewd story, and Sebastian quickly covered Ciel’s ears to spare him from it while Madam Red’s butler cheered her on. An hour later, when the story was finally finished, Madam Red and Lau had tape covering their mouths, signaling them as rejects, and Undertaker leered at the Young Master.

“That leaves only you, Milord,” he chuckled, “the last time I was a bit generous if I do say so myself, but no specials this time~”

“Damn…” the young master grumbled before proceeding to step forward, Sebastian blocking his path, and making both Ciel’s and my eyes widen.

“Sebastian?!” Ciel shouted, jolting back some.

“It appears there is nothing for it,” the black clad butler sighed, tugging his gloves. I blinked at him, my jaw dropped.

“Ohhh…? Master Butler’s having a go now is he?” Undertaker grinned, tilting his head to the side.

“Everyone, please step outside if you would,” Sebastian ordered, tugging down his other glove.

“S-Sebastian,” Ciel mumbled.

“ _You must not, under any circumstances, peek inside,_ ” said man warned, glowering over at us.

“Well why can’t I see?” I pouted, crossing my arms.

“ _Especially_ you,” Sebastian growled before we were all booted out. There were a few moments of silence before Undertaker burst into a loud, ruckus laughter, making everyone flinch at the sudden noise. It didn’t take long for the butler to open the door with a polite smile on his face, Undertaker lying his head on his desk as he still twitched some with laughter.

“ _Please come in. He has agreed to speak to us,_ ” Sebastian explained as everyone filed in and sat back down on the coffins. I remained standing with my arms crossed, keeping near Ciel.

“Well…to get back to the matter at hand…GUH-FU~ I saw paradise….I’ll tell you anything you wish to know…~” Undertaker stuttered out, still chuckling some.

“What did you do…?” Ciel muttered, looking up at Sebastian.

“Nothing much,” the black clad butler replied with a small shrug, dropping the issue as Undertaker began speaking normally.

“For awhile now, I’ve occasionally had clients who are… _how shall I say…LACKING, you see?_ ” Undertaker beamed, laughing again at the end of the statement.

_“…Lacking?”_ Sebastian asked, raising a brow at the man.

“Yes, quite lacking~ _Their innards, that is~”_ Undertaker replied, picking up one of the dummies he had and stroking its face lightly. Nearly everyone else paled at the idea.

“Before my clients can rest easy on their beds, I must get them nice and clean, yes? Like putting back what might have spilled out,” he started explaining, brushing off and smoothing the face of the mannequin in his hands, “and examining,” _playing with_ “them as I do my duty is a little hobby of mine, you see?” he cackled. Everyone paled again as they looked down at the beakers in their hands in horror. Lau cleared his throat, covering his mouth as he set down his beaker.

“So they were all lacking a kidney or some such? In that case, the killer is a loan shark or the like…” he started.

“Chinese cellar rats think up the most disturbing things! That’s not what I meant,” he scoffed at Lau, “ _it_ is something a prostitute…a _girl_ would possess. Ohh, how frightening, frightening! This little one doesn’t have it either~” he cackled, holding up the mannequin and peering at its midsection, “ _each was missing her uterus._ ” Ciel’s eyes narrowed at the words. I couldn’t help but give a small smirk. Humans were definitely…interesting.

“Lately, I’ve been seeing a rise in such ‘clientele’ all of a sudden, and their crimson ‘rouge’ is becoming gaudier by the day. It’s all keeping me very busy.”

“Even with few passerby, committing murder on the street…” Sebastian started, “moreover in the dead of night…would it not be difficult for an amateur to cut out the womb with necessary precision?”

“Quite the bright candle, aren’t we, Mister Butler~?” Undertaker cooed, rising from his seat once again, “I have considered that myself. Well let’s see…first, I’d take something sharp…Miss Maid, would you come here for a moment?” he purred, beckoning me to him. I smirked as I walked over, and he turned me around so my back was to him, “and slash the throat,” he continued, reaching his hand to curl around my neck, “then I’d cut riiiight here…and steal away the little precious,” he finished, his other hand curling around to my stomach and dragging one of his nails over it, “the ‘skill’ involved, and ‘the lack of hesitation’ points to a professional. And mostly likely someone of the ‘underworld’ at that. And that is why I knew you would come here, Milord~” he purred out, moving over to Ciel after releasing me and poking the Earl’s cheek, “if there were a possibility that the killer belonged to the ‘underworld’, I expected you would be summoned here without fail. Heed my words…another will die. And so, the murders will continue until someone stops them. Can you stop the killer ‘Aristocrat of Evil’, Earl Phantomhive?” he questioned with a purr as the boy stood up to leave, me and Sebastian moving to follow him.

“The underworld has its own rules. Its residents do not kill those on the other side without reason, and they do not invade polite society using the powers of the underworld,” Ciel answered as his shadow put on his coat, “ _by our family coat of arms, I vow to eliminate, without exception, all who defile the gardens of the Queen, by any means necessary,_ ” he paused, looking back over his shoulder at Undertaker, “excuse our intrusion…Undertaker…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just....really want to further the relationship between Undertaker and Cassie so much. Little Kit. God the cuteness!  
> I love it so much aaaah  
> If you like this, please continue to read on!


	10. The Hunt Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to invade the Viscount's party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso

It didn’t take long till everyone had vacated the shop and moved back into the carriage, already on our way back to the manor house. Ciel had a small frown on his face as he contemplated the new information. I could practically see the gears working in his head.

“Based on our earlier conversation, we can now simplify our list of subjects,” he started, glancing over at his aunt and Lau.

“Yes, quite…” Sebastian started off, holding his chin in thought, “first, we have ‘ _someone well-versed in medical science and anatomy_.”

“Among them, _‘someone with no alibi on the nights of the murders’_ ,” I continued, crossing my arms and tapping my arm lightly.

“And as the perpetrator has absconded with the uterus of each victim, _‘someone involved with a secret society or cult of black magic’_ is also a possibility,” Sebastian finished, smirking some at me.

“Wait…you call this ‘simplified’?” Angelina blanched, looking at both of us like we were insane, “just how many people do you think gather in London during the Season?! Not only must one consider the doctors of London, but also the family physicians that aristocrats have brought over from the countryside. Furthermore, medical school graduates who never became doctors. Not to mention Orientals like Lau who are skilled in the use of needles and are familiar with human anatomy,” she gave a heavy sigh, shaking her head some, “the Season will be over in less than a week. And the physicians will return to the countryside—”

“ _Then we need only investigate before the season ends,_ ” I grinned, turning my attention over to the red clad woman.

“…Come again?” Lau questioned, looking at Sebastian and I in confusion. The butler smirked himself in response.

“We need only pay a call to each individual and verify his alibi prior to the Season coming to a close,” he concluded.

“Verify their alibis?! Even though we don’t know their exact numbers yet?!” Madam Red yelped, blanching again at me and Sebastian.

“Please, leave it to us,” I answered, turning my attention towards Ciel.

“We are the maid and butler of the Phantomhive family. It goes without saying that we can manage something as trivial as this,” Sebastian grinned, bowing some to Ciel as he smirked at the both of us. Angelina and Lau were in a stunned silence before we moved to stand in the cramped space.

“I’ll just go ahead and make a list of suspects, yes?” I purred, looking back over at the young Earl, who simply nodded in answer. The raven haired man next to me slammed open the carriage door and leaned out, moving to tell something to Grelle that I didn’t catch, but I did hear the shout of surprise when the other butler saw him.

“Now if you will excuse us…” Sebastian grinned, bending back to bow to Angelina and Lau, “Cassandra, if you please,” he purred, holding out his hand to me. I rolled my eyes as I took it while Ciel made a shooing motion at us, and we exited the still moving box. I smirked at the shouts I heard from the flaming red headed woman.

“Now then, where shall we begin?” Sebastian asked, glancing over at me as we ran.

“I suppose with the nearest hospital?” I suggested, raising a brow at him. He smirked back at me before nodding, and we immediately started on the investigations.

* * *

It didn’t take very long till we had interviewed everyone we needed, and we were soon back at the manor house, of course before everyone else, and with a bit of time to spare. I let out a heavy sigh, brushing some pieces of hair from my face. An arm looped around my waist, and I opened one eye to see Sebastian looming over me. My expression contorted into one of annoyance as I looked back up at his smirking face.

“What do you want,” I huffed at him, but made no moves to pull away. Sebastian’s smirk only grew as he moved ever closer, brushing his lips over mine and making me shudder. I soon found myself pressed against the wall, our lips locked, and my hands gripping onto his shoulders tightly. He pulled away after what seemed too soon a time, a smirk still gracing over his features.

“It’s been quite some time since we were completely alone. Might as well take advantage of it,” he purred, moving his face down to my neck and grazed his lips over it.

“Ah, wait—S-stop!” I yelped, pushing at his shoulders weakly, “T-they’ll be here any minute….!”

“Then we’ll have to hurry, won’t we?” he growled back as he pushed up the edge of my dress, grazing his fingers over my thigh and up to my hip. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down on my lower lip, trying to squirm away from his touch, though it only seemed to egg him on. I let out a gasp as I felt his fingers move away from my hip and stroke over my folds through my undergarments. My face flushed a dark red as the man before me chuckled darkly as the material grew damp, a small whimper leaping from my throat as he stroked more, simply fanning the flames of my desire and lust. I dragged his face away from my neck and crushed my lips against his, kissing him like a starved person as I let out a needy moan. The raven male kissed back with equal force, pressing his body flush against my own as he continued to tease me. He pulled back after we both heard voices from the other side of the door, both us panting as they drew closer. I immediately recognized the hollering of Madam Red. Sebastian frowned as he drew his hand away from the wet heat between my legs, and I had to suppress the whine of protest building in my throat. He gave me another quick kiss before moving back and making his way to the door, changing the glove on his hand before anyone saw.

“Come come, Madam Red. Let us have a spot of tea and take a…break…” Lau started, his sentence dropping at he opened the door and saw the butler standing in the entryway with a polite smile on his face.

“Welcome home. We have been waiting for you,” Sebastian greeted, bowing to the small group as they made their way inside. I quickly composed myself before making my way over, putting my own smile on my face as I began to lead the Young Master away from the other two upper class members.

“Your afternoon tea is ready,” I said, still smiling as I took Ciel’s hat, “a cornmeal cake of pears and blackberries will be accompanying it today.”

“Nn. Sweets, sweets….” The boy mumbled in response, eagerly following me to the lounge to get his treat.

“Wait… _why are you here?!_ ” Angelina shouted, getting over her shock at seeing me and Sebastian there already. I stopped, looking back over my shoulder at the woman in red and put a hand on Ciel’s shoulder to stop him from going without me and eating the entire cake. Sebastian glanced over at me before turning his attention back to the woman, smiling again.

“Hmm? We returned in advance because we finished our assignment,” the man explained. Ciel started getting fussing as he tried getting out of my grip, but I kept a firm hold on him.

“On foot?! Your ‘assignment’—so you already have a list?!” the Madam gasped, her expression turning shocked again instead of angered.

“Not quite,” I started, “you see, we simply compiled a list based on the characteristics we discussed earlier and paid each individual on that list _a visit. That is all._ However, it did take time because we investigated the aristocracy’s family physicians as well,” I finished with a small sigh, turning my attention back to the Earl, “Sebastian may explain the rest. Now, come along young master, let’s not let that cake get too cold—”

“Hold it Cassandra. Really, you two,” the Madam scoffed, her shocked expression gone and replaced with a smug smirk, “that’s impossible, even for you two—” Sebastian chuckled, cutting her off as he unfurled one of the scrolls in his hands.

“Earl Chambers’s family doctor, William Somerset was attending a party sponsored by Earl Harwood when Mary Ann Nichols was killed. He has an alibi, and is not involved in any secret societies….has an alibi. Wale…was attending a meeting and has an alibi. Not involved in secret societies. Duke Bailey’s family physician, Richard Oswal…spent time in the White Horse Pub with his comrades…has an alibi. Royal London Central Hospital…surgery, talking business and has an alibi…Alibi. Not involved with secret societies…Burt’s family physician, Nicholas Anthony…bi. Is involved with secret societies. Physician at Royal London Central Hospital…Surgeon Adam Hayvitt. When Anna Harver was killed…had contact with a boy at Staple Inn and has an alibi…Wellington. When Mary Ann Nichols was killed…not involved with secret societies. Duke Russells’s family physician J…not involved in secret societies…not involved in secret societies…Inton’s family physician, Josiah Condor…the day before…cy Billow was killed, was at the Ten Foxes Pub…not involved in secret societies. Head of Baron Darsonton’s family dav…surgeon at the hospital affiliated with London University, Simon E…physician at Saint Thomas hospital…o…was dining with parents and has an alibi…” The list continued on and on, and I couldn’t help but smirk with Ciel as he read. Grelle had a small blush on his face as he listened, and Madam Red had a shocked look on her face again, her smile faltering and her hat slipping from her head.

“Based on these results,” he stated after finishing with the list, glancing over at the young Earl, “ _we have narrowed down the list of suspects to but one individual._ Let us discuss the details after tea,” he concluded, turning around to follow me and Ciel to the lounge.

“How in the world did you manage such a thing, Sebastian and Cassandra?” Madam asked, a hesitant smile on her face, “are you really only a butler and maid? Are you sure you two aren’t O.H.M.S.S. or something as well?” We looked over at her, glanced back at each other, then put polite smiles on our face as we bowed, turning back to her as we did.

“No,” we started, “we are merely a butler and maid.”

* * *

Everyone was soon situated in the lounge. Sebastian and I stood on either side of Ciel as he finally ate a healthy serving of cake, the two guests of the household drinking tea.

“’Someone well-versed in medical science and anatomy’,” I started, looking down at one of the lists we had made, “’someone with no alibi on the nights of the murders,’ and ‘someone involved with a secret society or cult of black magic.’ Only one individual fulfills all these conditions; _the Viscount of Druitt, one Sir Aleister Chamber.”_

“He graduated from a medical school, but does not work at a hospital or practice medicine,” Sebastian continued, taking over for me, “he has held several parties at his residence during the Season…but there are rumors that he also hosts secret parties on the side in which only he and his intimate acquaintances participate.”

“The Viscount of Druitt, hmm…” Angelina mused, raising a brow in thought as she tapped her chin, “now that I think about it, I have heard rumors that he’s into black magic or something. The Rose something or the Golden something…” she mumbled, her face scrunching up in confusion.

“So some kind of ritual is being conducted at those ‘secret parties’,” Lau started in, taking a sip of tea, “and the prostitutes may have been used as offerings.”

“Yes,” Ciel answered simply, taking the last bite of his cake.

“Tonight, there will be yet another party at the Viscount’s residence beginning at 19:00,” I stated, resting a hand on the back of the young Earl’s chair, “as the season will soon be coming to an end, it is safe to assume that this evening will be our final opportunity to steal in.” I finished, glancing over at Sebastian with a small smirk.

“Madam Red,” Ciel ordered, setting down his fork, “ _that_ is where we stand. Can you do something about it?” he asked, earning a smirk from the Lady in Red.

“Really, who do you take me for?” she scoffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder, “I’m quite popular with men, I’ll have you know. Obtaining an invitation or two will be child’s play,” she chuckled, still smirking at her nephew.

“Then it’s decided,” the Earl declared, leaning back once more in his seat, “we’ll do whatever it takes to get into that ‘secret party’. But make certain to never use the Phantomhive name. We may fail to catch them otherwise. _**This is our only chance!**_ ”

* * *

“This is rather grand, isn’t it,” Angelina mused, tapping her chin with the feathered fan in her hand as she glanced around the ballroom placed in the home of the man we were hunting, “I wonder if indeed tonight marks the last night of the Season?”

“It would appear that this evening will be most delightful,” Lau agreed, nodding slowly in response to the Madam’s statement.

“We’re done for if we arouse their suspicions,” Ciel scolded, sending a glare towards the two, “listen up; _we did not come here to amuse ourselves. Do not let your guard down!_ ” He continued, crossing his arms over his pink dress covered torso. Lau and Angelina looked over at him before the red haired woman squealed, hugging him tightly.

“I understaaand! Ohhh my! You’re just the cutest little thing, aren’t you!?” she gushed, practically suffocating him with her bust.

“Let me go!” he gasped, trying to push away from her, “why do I have to wear something like this—?!”

“Eh? What’s this? Don’t you like your Muslin-Drenched French dress?” the boy’s aunt sighed, a pout forming over her features, “Boo! Boo! It’s the latest style and everything, you know?”

“ _How could I like this!?_ ” the Earl shouted, his face turning a light shade of pink.

“Now, now,” Sebastian scolded, stepping up to the grouping, “a lady never raises her voice,” he concluded, pushing the glasses up his nose as they began to fall off.

“Sebastian…you bastard…” Ciel growled, staring daggers at his shadow.

“He’s riiiight, you hear? You have to follow the script...” Madam Red chided, wagging a finger at her nephew.

“Sorry Sebastian, but I’m with the young ‘lady’ on this one,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. I despised pink. At least on myself, and I was perfectly fine with the dress I was currently wearing; tight fitting corset with a lace frilled bottom, the entire thing pitch black, “pink is a wretched color. Couldn’t we have gone with a simple blue?” I pouted, holding the boy close as I pet his hair.

“Cassandra, you dote on him far too much,” the raven haired butler sighed, shaking his head slowly, “however, the Madam is correct. If we are going to complete this mission, we must follow everything to a ‘T’,” he explained, glancing over at the red clad woman.

“Right!” the woman agreed, nodding her head once to prove a point, “Lau is my lover. Ciel is playing my niece, who has come to London from the countryside. Sebastian and Cassandra are a married pair who are also your tutors. Oh, and Grelle is my butler, per usual,” she finished, simply waving the flake of a man off. Ciel’s face turned a bit pinker, and I kept a hand on his shoulder to keep him still. Thinking on it, she wasn’t entirely wrong about me and Sebastian being married…

“So…! Why must I be your niece!?” he shouted, clenching his hand into a tight fist at his side.

“Well, you see, I’ve always wanted a daughter,” the woman answered with a laugh, “a charming girl who looks wonderful in frilly dresses!” It would appear Grelle wasn’t the only one who was a flake.

“THAT is your reason…?” the young earl growled, steam practically coming from his ears. He was positively fuming at this point.

“These will trouble me until I get used to them…” Sebastian mumbled, adjusting his glasses a bit. I smirked, keeping my voice low when I spoke to him so only he could hear.

“I think they make you look rather dashing,” I chuckled. _Good God, what in the hell was I saying?_ The butler smirked back at me, speaking just as low.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he answered, making my face flush. I had completely missed what Angelina had whispered to her nephew, and jumped when she spoke at a normal tone of voice again.

“In any case! If people were to see a one eyed boy with a well dressed butler and busty maid, no offense Cassandra,” she said, holding a hand up in defense.

“Some taken,” I answered, frowning a bit as I crossed my arms.

“Anyway, they would know it was you on the spot!” she concluded, crossing her own arms, “so then it follows that _this_ is the best disguise!” A grin grew back over the woman’s face as she held her fan to her chin again, “and the Viscount of Druitt supposedly loves women of all ages, so it’s better if you’re dressed that way! ‘Kay?!” She giggled, tilting her head a bit.

“Wha…?!” Ciel stammered, shaking with fury.

“Ha-ha-ha! Wouldn’t it be a crime for him to lay a hand on the Young Earl?” Lau added in. Knowing his usual behavior, he had no idea what was really happening.

“Were you not the one who said ‘do whatever it takes’?” Sebastian asked, smirking at the Earl as he growled in response. I set a hand on his shoulder to calm him, a smirk of my own on my face.

“Then shall we go, _my lady?_ ” I asked, gesturing out to the steadily growing crowd. The boy blinked before letting out a weary sigh, giving up. My smirk changed into a polite smile before I began to wander about with Sebastian, attempting to locate the Viscount.

“I wonder if the Viscount of Druitt is a handsome fellow? If that is the case, I would be more than willing to do my paaart!” Madam purred, getting an evil glint in her eyes that made even ME flinch.

“I’m uncomfortable. This dress is heavy. My feet hurt. I want to go home,” Ciel grumbled, a dark cloud hanging over his head.

“My lady, you’ll grow mushrooms if you keep that up,” I huffed, resting my hands on my hips.

“I do not want Elizabeth to see me like this…” he continued on his complaining, groaning at the mere idea of it.

“No, I suppose not,” Sebastian agreed, a forced grin on his face as he too imagined what could happen.

“Kyaah, your dress is so cute!” a voice squealed. It sounded all too familiar…

“Oh no…I’m even imagining the sound of her voice now…” Ciel grumbled. The voice gushed again at a partier’s hat, and the three of us whipped around with horror imprinted onto our faces, pinpointing the voice to be Lady Elizabeth’s.

“There are just SOOOO many ladies in the loveliest dresses, I can’t stand it!” the girl gushed, clasping her hands together as she squealed in delight, “they are all SOOO CUTE!”

“Se—! Se-Se-Se-Sebastian! C-Cassandra!” Ciel hissed, starting to shake in fear.

“Young mas—! My lady, please calm down,” Sebastian whispered back, taking Ciel’s arm as we all flipped back to find an escape route.

“Let us go over there for a moment,” I added, pointing over to one of the tables.

“Ah!!” A voice called, making us freeze, “ _those girls over there are wearing AWWWWWFULLY cute dresses!!_ ” Elizabeth squealed, pointing at me at Ciel. I didn’t even to turn around to know what she was doing.

“B-behind the table!! DUCK!” I hissed, grabbing Ciel’s arm and quickly hiding us both behind the clothed table. What was more fortunate was the large cake sitting atop it. I kept a hand over his mouth to keep quiet, though it seemed unnecessary.

“Oh? Where did they go?” I heard the young boy’s fiancée question. I peeked over the table and watched her look around before running into a different direction. A weary sigh left me as I removed my hand from the boy’s mouth, letting him breathe properly. He lifted himself a bit, looking over the edge of the table with me.

“Why is Elizabeth here!?” The boy in drag hissed out, sitting a bit taller as he looked around the room, “I must at least get ahold of Madam and the rest—!”

“Uh…” I started, pointing over to the “lovers”. Lau was fanning the woman in red while a crowd of men pressing to get to her, each one holding some kind of gift in their hands. Both I and the young Earl blanched at the sight of her blatant flirtatiousness. Fingers suddenly trailed up my spine, making me shudder, and I clamped a hand over my mouth to hold back the purr clawing its way up my throat. I whipped my head around and saw Sebastian with a serious look on his face, but the glint of mischievousness I saw in his eyes made me stare daggers at him.

“This is not good,” he started, “I did not think your fiancée would be here.”

“Even though I am disguised…if she were to catch a glimpse of my face…” Ciel stammered, a look of horror increasingly growing on his face.

“…She would recognize you right away,” Sebastian continued, dragging a finger down my spine again. I quickly turned around and slapped his hand away.

“If she finds out, it would spell the end of our investigation!!” the boy gasped, his face getting pale.

“Moreover…everyone here would discover that my lady is the ‘young master’,” the butler concluded, his expression unchanging. The Earl went deathly pale at the thought before falling back onto his knees, tightly clenching the table cloth as though it would offer some form of support.

“If it becomes known that the head of the Phantomhive family had the gall to dress like this, we will be shamed for all eternity!!” Ciel gasped, starting to quake with fear, “I’d dare not show my face before Her Majesty again!!”

“You’re overreacting,” Sebastian and I said at the same time, our expression unreadable.

“I would rather die than have that happen!” he snapped, flipping his head around to face us, “so she must neve—”

“ _The Viscount of Druitt is as handsome as always!_ ” a woman sighed, a light blush on her face, “ _his platinum locks are like spun gold!_ ” The three us snapped to attention, peering around the table to see the man the women were fawning over.

“So he is the Viscount of Druitt…!!” Ciel said, his showing eye narrowed on the blonde male.

“He is quite young…” Sebastian mentioned. I smirked as I kept my eyes glued to the blonde. He would be a piece of cake to handle.

“We’ll use a greeting as our front to get close to him,” the young Earl ordered, his face serious as he rose to his feet.

“I will observe from here because the presence of another male may make him wary,” Sebastian whispered, rising as well and bending to reach the boy’s height, “please, behave like a lady, as we have taught you.”

“Yes, yes! Alright!” Ciel huffed, starting to get annoyed at the reminder of what he was wearing. I rested a hand on his shoulder and smiled down at him when he turned his face upward.

“I’ll be right next to you, young master,” I said, smiling reassuringly at him. He gave a small sigh before his face became stern again, giving a single nod before making his way over to the Viscount. When we were both close enough, I kept a hand on his back between his shoulder blades as he gathered his skirts and curtsied, a forced smile pulling across his face.

“G-good evening, Viscount Dru—”

“AHHHHH!! Found yooou!!” A voice squealed, making both of us stiffen. I whipped my head around, letting out a curse as I grabbed Ciel’s hand and pulled him away from his excitable fiancée.

“This way, my lady,” I said, pulling him along behind me. I waved a hand at a nearby waiter and motioned him over towards Elizabeth as a distraction via lemonade, continuing to pull the boy along behind me until we reached the balcony, finally stopping to rest there.

“That was dangerously close…” I sighed, resting my hands on the railing.

“Why do I always have to be the one to suffe—” Ciel started, his sentence cutting short as the musicians began to play a waltz. We both whipped around to look into the room to see men and women beginning to dance to the music. I let out a curse with Ciel as we watched the couples glide over the floor.

“The hall is swarming with dancers,” I muttered, a small frown pulling over my face, “we can’t approach the Viscount like this…” My eyes roamed around the room again, and I let out a small sigh of relief to see the blonde girl was distracted by the dancers. Letting out another sigh, I placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder again, making him jump at the sudden distractive contact.

“Seeing as how Sebastian is currently nowhere to be found, and the only to get across the hall would be TO dance, I will be your partner,” I explained, grabbing one of his hands, “you can manage with what Sebastian and I have taught you, yes?”

“Are you telling me to dance here?! In _public?!_ With the likes of you?!” the Earl blanched as I pulled him towards the floor, his face steadily getting paler.

“Have you forgotten?” I started, grabbing his hands, “we might both be women, but since I am your tutor for the time being, I could simply be helping my student practice, could I not?” I purred, smirking at him, “not to mention my current status this evening is not your maid, and that I am, for the time being, in a rank among the upper classes.”

“R-right…” Ciel mumbled, glancing away from me.

“I will lead for now, so as not to collide with the other couples. Now, shall we dance, my lady?” I asked, placing one hand on his back before pulling him into the throng of people, “just listen to the music. Let it flow through you, so you may match your steps with the rhythm,” I said softly, tapping the rhythm against his back lightly to help him, “we keep this up, we will be across in no time at all,” I chuckled as I began moving, passing the lady Elizabeth as we danced. We finally made it to the other side, and Ciel collapsed onto his hands and knees, panting heavily.

“Really, how unsightly to be exhausted after such a trifle,” I huffed at him, bending a bit so I could reach his current height as I scolded him. I let out a sigh as I moved to help him stand, shaking my head slowly, “really now. Ah well, I’ll get you some water immediate—” My sentence cut short as the sound of someone clapping sounded near us. We both looked up to see the man we were after; the Viscount of Druitt, Aleister Chamber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am just on a roll with these chapters!  
> i will try and post some other fics soon, i am just in the editing processes for a LOT of stuff. For now, keep readin this!


	11. Not Over Yet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Viscount turned out to be innocent, if not entirely. So...who did it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso

“Exquisite,” the man said, a small smirk on his face, “your dance was as lovely as a robin taking wing, young lady. And you, such ferocity, like a tiger,” he praised, his smirk changing into a polite smile. _To think that he would approach us first…_ I thought, my expression serious.

“Ah, umm…” Ciel mumbled before putting a smile on his face, curtsying lightly, “I am most honored by your compliment,” he stammered out. I gently placed a hand on his shoulder before bowing my head in respect to the Viscount.

“I am honored as well, Viscount,” I said smoothly, putting on my best smile. If it made demons melt, it was bound to work on this man. And from the way his eyes gleamed at me, it worked like a charm.

The blonde male took a step towards us and clasped one of our hands in each of his, placing a delicate kiss on the back of each, “Pray tell, with whom did you come this evening, Miss Robin and Tiger?” he asked. I could see goosebumps rising all over Ciel’s exposed skin, and I couldn’t help but smirk. I was used to this sort of behavior.

“A-auntie Angelina brought me here,” the “young lady” stammered as he wiped his hand off on his skirt. I covered my mouth to conceal my laughter.

“I am one of the young lady’s tutors, and the wife of one of her others,” I answered, bowing my head politely, “if you would excuse me, the miss desired something to drink,” with that, I left the two alone and went to locate Sebastian. It took a bit, and I had had to vacate the ballroom to do so, but I was able to find him in one of the other rooms of the manor setting up…something. I stared at him with a blank expression, a brow rising soon in question at his actions.

“What are you doing…?” I questioned as I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorway, keeping my eyes on him. He glanced up at me when I spoke, a grin spreading across his face as he walked over and tugged me close, making my eyes go wide in shock.

“Tell me, how well can you dance milonga?” he asked, his hand sliding slowly down my back and causing shivers to run down it.

“What are you playing at, Sebastian…?” I growled, narrowing my eyes dangerously on him. He chuckled, leaning forward and kissing my neck lightly.

“Distraction, my dear. The young master needs to get the information,” he purred in my ear. I felt my dress slide off before something else came back on my body to cover me, and I pulled away immediately to see a different black dress on; the sleeves were lace and extended completely down to my wrists in a snug fit, the dress itself containing a less constrictive bodice and a long but very loose skirt that I was sure would show my legs up to my hip when I spun, even more so with the gaping hole in the back. Oh, this would definitely turn out to be interesting. I smirked, smoothing my hands down over the satin like material. Looking up, I saw Sebastian holding a similar expression as he devoured me with his eyes. He quickly looked away, almost forcing himself to, and handed over an intricately designed mask, of which I placed over my face as we left the room, and just in time, as Ciel was to be cornered by Lizzie at any moment. Sebastian grinned before snapping his fingers, all of the lights going out in an instant. Shouts were heard from the party goers from the confusion, though the lights came back on almost immediately, Sebastian standing behind me with a hand pressed flat to my stomach, my own covering it as we waited for the music to begin. All it took was a glance to the musicians for them to begin playing, the music a fast tempo, though containing a small hint of a waltz as we took the first steps. No one in the room seemed to recognize us as we danced, even though it appeared Madam Red and Lau did, and woman’s eyes wide in awe as she watched. It was easy to tell from the way the male demon moved he was holding himself back, and I had to keep reminding myself to do the same.

“I do not recall requesting performers…?” The Viscount mumbled, a look of confusion crossing over his features before Ciel swooped in to get him away from the crowd and obtain all the evidence we needed to close the case. It helped certainly that we had managed to distract Lizzie, who was also watching the two of us in amazement, her eyes sparkling brightly. I could already hear her gushing over how “romantic the dancing pair at the party was” the next time she saw Ciel.

A small smirk spread along my face as an evil idea came into my head. The next spin Sebastian made I twirled away from him and into the arms of another man, giving the human a seductive grin before winking. I could practically feel the jealousy and possessiveness of the demon I was dancing with as he pulled me back, the man I briefly flirted with blushing and holding a hand over his heart to calm it. I couldn’t help my grin from spreading wider when I saw the look in the demon’s eyes; I would certainly be paying for my actions later on, and the idea sort of…thrilled me.

A few more steps, a few more turns, and the dance was over, and I end up dipped with one leg hitched around his waist, his hands placed on my mid-back and on the underside of my knee. Both of us were panting softly as the crowd applauded our performance rather loudly, the black clad man standing me up straight so we could both bow to the audience.

“That was wonderful, Sebastian and Cassandra!” Madam Red gushed as she walked up to us, a pleased grin on her face.

“Cassandra, I had no idea you could dance to such a degree,” Lau chimed in. I had to attempt from smacking him from the look he was giving me.

“I was taught well,” I merely answered, bowing my head, “my father used to teach himself, so he taught everything he learned.” It was necessarily a lie; I did really learn from my father, though it wasn’t just him who taught me how to dance. Basic steps yes, but style and flare belonged solely to another tutor.

“Well, Cassandra, shall we locate our young lady and bring her home? I am sure she must be exhausted,” Sebastian mused, a polite smile plastered onto his face. The look in his eyes was frightening though. I would most definitely be paying for my little stunt later…

Letting out a sigh, I waved the issue off as an answer, letting Madam Red and Lau leave before we both took off to find Ciel. The demon butler soon flinched, a scowl settling onto his features.

“It would appear our master has gotten himself into a bit of trouble again,” he sighed, pushing his hair away from his face as we continued to look for the room. It took little time at all, as Ciel had activated their contract and shown where he was being held hostage. Again. The candles about the room flickered and went out as we appeared inside, shouts and hollers sounding as the people began to scatter in fright.

“What is going on?!” a voice shouted. I recognized it immediately to be the Viscount’s. Smirking, I lunged forward and slammed him clean across the jaw, knocking him out cold immediately. It took only a few seconds for everyone to be out cold on the floor, and the candles flickered back to life at the snap of my fingers. Sebastian stood in the center of the room, patting off his hands with a bit of a pout on his face.

“My, my,” he sighed, glancing about the room slightly, “you really possess no talents. Save for being captured, _sir._ Do you not think you are too careless because you trust we shall come when you call?” he asked, walking towards the stairs leading up to the stage. Rolling my eyes, I strolled over along with him, merely jumping up onto the stage.

“So long as I carry the covenant, you will come for me whether I call you or not,” Ciel glowered back, slight venom seeping into his voice as he was practically bristling from the butler’s comment. Sebastian stared blankly at him for a moment before a smirk spread along his face, leaning forward and gripping the bars holding the boy captive.

“Of course…” he answered simply, wrenching the bars apart.

_The “covenant” is a “mark” a devil imprints upon the one who enters into its agreement—its prey—so as not to lose sight of it. The more obvious the location of this “mark”, the greater the power of the covenant. However… **nevermore shall there be any hope of escape from the devil’s grasp.**_

“I shall accompany you wherever you may go…until the very end,” the butler said, kneeling before the “lady” and placing a hand over his heart in respect, “though this body may perish, I shall never leave your side. I shall escort you to the farthest reaches of Hell. I do not speak falsely, as humans do,” he explained further, flicking out his finger to sever the ropes around his hands and ankles.

“…That’s just as well,” Ciel huffed, crossing his arm as he glared at his servant, “don’t _you_ ever lie to me. Not ever!” he ordered, his eyes narrowing before his gaze flickered to me, “that goes double for you, Cassandra.” Sebastian and I both grinned before bowing before the boy.

“Yes, my lord,” we echoed, smirks on our faces. I stood straight after, glancing about the room and grinning further when seeing the swell appearing on the Viscount’s face, a sense of accomplishment washing through me.

“Well,” I started, patting my hands together, “we have already contacted the Yard, so they will be arriving at any moment.”

“Then let’s not dawdle,” Ciel huffed, resting a hand on his hip, “the chaps at the Yard will be none too pleased to find us here.”

“Yes, especially with that appearance of yours… _‘my lady’,”_ Sebastian smirked, covering his mouth a bit as he tried to hold back his laughter. The blue haired boy gasped, suddenly remembering what exactly he was wearing.

“A-anyway..!” Ciel coughed, his brows furrowing in slight annoyance, “with this, the case of Jack the Ripper is closed!” he declared, glancing over at the Viscount, “but it was over all too soon…” he mumbled. Sebastian smiled, knowingly, and I couldn’t help grinning along with him; I knew it wasn’t over and that I was still missing a few pieces, but Sebastian was apparently thinking the same. We would most likely discuss it later. Shouts suddenly sounded, and were steadily drawing near, making Ciel whip his head around with slight fear on his face.

“In any case, it would appear that the Yard has arrived,” I grumbled, glancing around the room again as Sebastian pulled Ciel close and hefted him up into the air, “about time we made our exit.”

“Agreed,” Sebastian echoed, both of us vanishing from the room seconds before the Yard burst into it, finding all of the blacked out black market members.

* * *

I let out a weary sigh as I flopped onto my temporary bed, arms spread along the length of the mattress with my feet still planted onto the floor.

“Just how long do you think he won’t even notice,” I grumbled out, my eyes staring up at the ceiling with a slight scowl on my face. Sebastian merely chuckled as he pulled off the tie around his neck, tossing the white cloth aside. His coat was already gone, lying across the back of the chair on the far side of the room, and when the tie was gone he moved down to unbutton his vest. I was still wearing the dress he had put me in for our little performance of distraction, and was making no motions to remove it anytime soon.

“I’m sure he’ll figure it out eventually,” Sebastian mused, tossing the suit vest aside and moving to unbutton his shirt. I let out a groan, rolling onto my stomach and hiding my face in the covers.

“I’m appalled he hasn’t found out about the truth of the matter yet…” I growled. My eyes widened briefly before I propped myself on my elbows to see Sebastian holding one of my ankles, undoing the laces of my shoe and pulling it off with ease. A small frown tugged on my face as I watched him, even if I was blushing along with it.

“He is still only a child. It may take some time for him to understand,” the demon male chuckled, repeating the actions on my other shoe and pulling that off as well, “now…as to your _stunt_ earlier…” he growled, looking up at my face with a small glint of mischief in his eyes. I flinched, attempting to yank my ankle out of his grip and failing miserably, as he didn’t even loosen his hold, and instead swiftly moved up over me, his hand gliding from my ankle to the edge of my gown and pushing it all the way to my hip. My heart was hammering against my chest as I watched him with weary eyes, a shiver running down my spine at the light caress. I shivered again as I locked gazes with him, his eyes fiercely possessive and lustful, though held a small amount of anger in them. What I had done during our performance had _definitely_ made Sebastian jealous, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t affected by the power in his gaze.

His lips pressed roughly against mine as he gripped my hip, my eyes squeezing shut as I was pressed into the mattress. His frame was already cradled between my thighs, and his hand moved from my hip to glide along my thigh and up to my knee, hitching my leg around his waist. I could feel his arousal pressing against me already, even through out clothes, and for some reason that had me squirming with me own desire. I knew he was possessive, but only now was it starting to affect me; and I was enjoying it.  


I had to break the kiss moments later to take in gulps of air, one of my hands slapping over my mouth to hold back moans at the feel of his teeth on my neck and jaw, more so at his claws on my spine. It was like his hands were everywhere at once, and it was growing harder to resist his advances; but the fact that there were still other people in the house was still entirely relevant. Finally managing to push him off, I let out a shaky sigh, trying to calm my nerves before we did anything that would draw attention. I flinched back as a deep growl vibrated through his chest, letting out a yelp after as he grabbed my hands and pinned them over my head.

“How long is it going to take until you realize that you belong solely to me?” Sebastian growled out, gaze fixed onto my face. I was completely frozen. He wasn’t lying; I had made a deal to be his mate…and we mated for life. Biting my lip, I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my head away from his. His hold suddenly loosened as he inhaled sharply, and I felt him draw away before finally opening my eyes. I hadn’t even realized I had started crying…

Pushing myself up, I refused to even look at the male, slapping his hand away when he made a grab for me, and he flinched back further as I gave him the coldest glare I could muster.

“Goodnight, Sebastian. I will retire elsewhere for the evening…” I said softly, turning away from him as I stood up from the bed and walked towards the door. I didn’t even look back as he called for me, making another grab just as the door closed. I paused outside the door, standing stock still for a moment before moving a hand up to clench my heart. I was the one who rejected him; so why did it hurt so much…? Sighing, I walked away from the door and down the hall, taking residence in one of the other rooms. I didn’t bother changing out of my dress as I curled onto the bed. It was no different than the one Sebastian and I shared, yet it felt so much colder. It was useless to deny it, I was his, but it felt useless to go back to him now, especially with how I left things. Wiping my eyes to remove any lasting tears, I curled onto my side and attempted sleep.

* * *

_“Jack the Ripper appears once more! The victim is Annie Chapman. A prostitute is sacrificed again!!_ ”

That was the headliner on the following morning’s newspaper. Clearly the young master was in shock, what with his reaction of slamming his hands onto the table and jumping up from his seat.

“How could this be?! The Viscount didn’t go anywhere last night!” The child shouted, a cold glare focused upon the paper set on the hardwood surface. I stood in silence at one end of the room, a solemn expression upon my features. I had gained next to nothing concerning sleep the previous night, and I was still feeling dreadful about my behavior towards Sebastian. The male stood at the opposite end of the room, expression unreadable. I could barely bring myself to look at him, fearing of how he would react.

“If it becomes seemingly impossible for our lone suspect to have committed the murder,” Lau continued, his usual smirk on his face and his eyes still remaining closed, “then it does beg the question of a possible copycat…no, or even of there having been multiple culprits from the very start.”

“In other words, we were off the mark in suspecting the Viscount?” Madam Red questioned, her attentions directed at her nephew.

“We’re back to square one…” Ciel sighed, once more pushing himself up from his desk and turning his gaze towards his butler, “I’ll narrow down the suspects again. Sebastian, the list,” he continued, the male placing a hand over his heart and answering properly. The rest of the grouping evacuated the room shortly after to let Ciel do his job properly, myself included; my brain was a flustered mess. I knew I wouldn’t be of much help in that sort of situation. Hell, I was so focused on my own thoughts I barely caught myself from tripping over my own two feet as the other red haired female pulled me aside. I could barely even muster out a proper protest before she started speaking.

“Trouble in paradise, Cassie?” the woman asked. My eyes went wide in shock, and I could only open and close my mouth like a fish out of water as I tried to find a suitable response, clamping my mouth shut again as the human female laughed at my actions.

“Oh please. He may not think anyone else is noticing, but I’ve seen the way that butler looks at you,” she snickered, starting to walk slowly down the hall and towards the room she was staying in, “you two may have only been in my nephew’s life for two years, but I know a couple when I see one. So, tell me why you’re avoiding him?” she pressed, her gaze shifting back to my face. I could only stare at her, completely speechless before my solemn expression returned, and I let out a weary sigh, bowing my head and looking away from her.

“Sebastian is…well, my husband, of sorts…” I started, still grappling for words, “I’ve flaunted before men before, but he’s the only one I’ve ever actually been with. Half the time I’m not even sure what to do when I’m with him…” I admitted, one of my hands moving to start fiddling with my hair, “I’m not even sure of how I feel about him, yet when I argued with him last night I felt like I was suffocating…” I sighed, my hand moving to my chest again and clenching my hand around the material of my dress over my heart, the organ beginning to hurt again at the memory of what I had done. I heard An sigh before she placed a hand on my back, the gesture meant to comfort, but I still couldn’t help but tense slightly.

“I would talk with him the next time you’re alone. It’s not healthy to let the issue sit forever,” she explained, though it sounded more like a mother scolding a child. I knew she was right, but I just couldn’t bring up the gumption to do it, no matter how hard I tried. I had no idea what I would even say, never mind do.

“Anyway,” she continued, her hand dropping from my back to cross her arms stubbornly over her chest, “it sounds to me like you’re in love with him. You just have yet to realize it,” she snorted, her expression becoming a bit deadpanned. A blush spread across my face like wildfire across my face at the words, and I was starting to look like a fish out of water again. My mouth closed after a moment, brow scrunching together. Maybe she was right? Was I…really in love with him? Shaking off such notions, I let out another weary sigh and paused in my walking, bowing my head in apology as I took my leave to do a proper job for my role. I was still lost in my thoughts as I went about the home, taking care of anything that needed to be done, and yet I was still left with too much time on my hands. It was barely time to prepare tea, but the last thing I wanted to do was be alone with my own thoughts. I might as well start on the preparations at the very least. It would hopefully give me something to do to distract myself.

Letting out a sigh, I pushed open the kitchen doors only to be met with the sounds of loud crashing. Eyes widening in shock, I whipped my head around to find Grelle sitting on the ground and rubbing his head in pain, glasses sitting crooked on his face and the teapot and tray, as well as the now destroyed cups, in a mess on the floor. I could only stare, completely dumbfounded before letting out an annoyed sigh and walking over to the failure of a butler, coming to a stop two feet in front of him and crossing my arms over my chest.

“Pray tell, just what were you trying to attempt?” I asked, a brow rising as I glared down at the man. He only blinked up at me in answer, mimicking my earlier fish out of water actions. Groaning, I reached down and pulled him up to his feet, brushing him off, and ignoring his interjections of how that was unnecessary.

“Unless you enjoy getting scolded by the Madam, I suggest you start— good lord what the hell are you staring at?!” I started, only to be interrupted in my train of thought as I caught the male staring at me. He let out a gasp as he realized he was caught, and he began to grow flustered again as he scrambled for an explanation.

“D-d-do forgive m-me, b-but…your hair…is quite lovely…” he answered, and odd look entering his gaze as his eyes drifted back to my hair. For some reason that sent a bit of a warning signal in my head, and took a slight step back from him.

“…Alright…anyway…just don’t make anymore messes,” I sighed, the man snapping back to attention again before clambering to clean up the mess. I turned to leave the kitchen afterwards, coming to a halt when I saw Sebastian in the doorway. His eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed…and he looked away. That one action felt like a dagger in my heart, and I had to swallow back the building lump in my throat before turning away from him and exiting the room, quickly making my way back to Ciel.

The boy glanced up as I entered, looking back down at the list after seeing who it was, and I quickly made my way over to the boy’s side, at the ready should he need something, and we remained in an almost painful silence until he set down the paper with a sigh and turned his gaze towards me.

“You seem different today. I have yet to hear any snide remarks towards my servant,” he mused idly, his expression deadpanned as he looked back over to his work, “if there’s a bit of a spat going on between you two I suggest you handle it. I will not tolerate my servants to be distracted from their jobs,” he continued, his eyes narrowing on me for a moment. I could only stare at him before smiling softly and bowing my head in answer. He may have only been a child, but he was more of an adult than anyone else here. I was impressed he had even noticed my change in attitude. Walking over to him, I picked up one of the other pages, flipping through them and feeling a frown tug onto my features.

“We both went through this list and visited each individually. We can only assume someone was at least lying about something…” I mumbled, my eyes flickering from one name to the next.

“But then there’s the issue of those who really had an alibi,” Ciel sighed, setting down his own papers with a bit of annoyance. He knew something was very off about it, but he needed to find the answer on his own. We both glanced up at the knock at the door, my shoulders tensing for a moment when I recognized who it was before the door even opened, and I quickly turned my back to it before I could meet Sebastian’s gaze. He was still furious with me; I didn’t have to look at him to know it.

“Today’s tea is a simple Earl Grey with milk,” the butler announced as he poured a cup for the Earl, placing the drink on the desk, both of us refraining from making eye contact. Sighing softly, I turned my gaze out the window, a small frown pulling on my face as I saw the storm clouds begin to roll in. This may be a long evening…

* * *

The storm was well under way, even in the late hours, the thunder clapping continuously through the sky. Ciel, Sebastian, and myself, still continued to work on the list of suspects, once more attempting to narrow down the list to find the real Jack the Ripper, and end the Queen’s woes. The young master had already been dressed for bed, but he still had much work to do, and we remained in his office to help him.

“The population of London is 4.5 million alone,” the boy huffed, lightly smacking the papers in his grip in his exhaustion, “and that swells further during the season. By simply relaxing the conditions, the number of suspects increases,” he sighed. His weariness was becoming evident. We needed to solve this before another murder occurred…

“Still at it, are you?” a voice called, all of us turning our attention towards the door to see Madam Red holding up a chess board and dressed in a robe and nightclothes, her own butler standing behind her.

“Madam Red…” the boy answered softly, watching her for a moment.

“All work and no play makes Ciel a dull boy!” she chirped, patting the case in her hands as she beamed at her nephew, “what say you take a break for a round of _this?_ ”

“The chess set, eh…? That takes me back,” Ciel mused, his attention turning back to the papers in his grip.

“Doesn’t it just?” An chirped, still beaming at the boy, “I got it out of the storeroom because Ciel was coming,” she went one, walking over the table and setting the set onto the hard surface, “now, break time, break time!” she chirped, pushing all of the papers resting on the table right onto the floor, making Ciel gasp in shock, and for me to dread having to reorganize all our work, “Grelle, see to the tea!” she ordered after, the male mumbling out a response before doing as she asked. Ciel let out an annoyed huff as he relaxed back in his seat, propping his head up by his hand as he waited. Letting out my own huff, I stooped down and picked up the fallen papers, shifting through them and once more setting them in the right order. Grelle returned moments later, holding a tray with a teapot and two cups resting on the metal.

“As it is evening…I have prepared an herbal tea of rose hips,” he explained as he poured the tea, setting the cups in front of Madam Red and Ciel. Both took only one sip before an odd look entered their features, though An was the first to openly object about the flavor.

“BLEEEEECH!!” she exclaimed, the drink splashing in her cup as she turned on her butler, “How can herbal tea be salty?! And you call yourself a butler!!” she shouted, now shaking her fist in threat.

“Salt…?” Ciel mumbled, staring down at his drink in question. Sebastian gave an odd look, as though remembering something, and I couldn’t help a small snicker escape. Old man Tanaka had given salty lemonade to Ciel when they had that martial arts bet, and the boy had made Sebastian drink it; in one gulp.

“Eeeeyes’m!” the male exclaimed in answer, tears once more brimming in his eyes, “even so I am still a butler, for suuure!! Pardon meee!” he cried as he dashed from the room. Madam Red sat back down in her seat with a huff, her expression turning exhausted. Sebastian returned to his work afterwards, and I stood close by, reviewing what he had written down and handed to me to see if anything needed changes, or if he had forgotten something entirely.

“Really…!” An sighed, her gaze turning towards the two of us as she held her head up with her hand, “by contrast, your butler and maid are really rather competent, or should I say hard working, or…?” she mused, her gaze flitting back to the young Earl as he began to set up the pieces.

“Not particularly? Certainly not to that extent,” he answered, all his attention focused on the game.

“If they’re that able, you may as well even leave the investigation on the Viscount’s residence and all the rest to them,” the woman mused, waving her hand slightly before making her first move. Ciel’s gaze turned serious, picking up his knight and making his retort.

“Cassandra is only bound to my orders through Sebastian. He is my ‘might’, she my ‘hands and feet’. They are nothing but my ‘chessmen’,” he started, moving his knight to retrieve her pawn, “and only I, the ‘horseman’, can move the ‘horse’. If I were to defeat my opponent with an ‘automaton of a chessman’, the achievement could not be considered ‘my own’.”

“Hrm…he’s taken it…” the woman mumbled, her gaze scrutinizing the board as she tried to find her next move.

“I always give the orders,” Ciel continued, a small smirk spreading to his face, “and without them, they have been disciplined to move not so much as a muscle. However,” he paused, once more picking up his knight piece, “you might say the sole difference between those two and this ‘knight’, is… _that they are pieces that can move to any square in one fell swoop._ Like this,” he concluded, reaching over and using the chess piece to knock over An’s king, making her gasp in shock.

“Really!” she grumbled, picking the piece back up and placing it back in its proper place, “but that’s against the rules!”

“Indeed,” Ciel started, a smirk stretching to his features again, “that is, if we are playing a ‘game’ of ‘chess’. But this world is no chess game,” he continued on, his expression growing serious again as he once more picked up his knight and held it in front of his face, “where one cannot win if not playing by the rules. Without fail, players will break the rules…and chessmen will betray the players. And if I’m to play games with their like on equal footing,” he explained, gaze drifting back to the chessboard, “On this chessboard of Great Britain that we call our home, letting one’s guard down immediately amounts to…” he paused, his knight moving once more and making a harsh clack as he finally made a proper move, “ _ **checkmate.**_ ”

“…Surely there must’ve been…another way for you to live, one that didn’t involve you becoming the Underworld’s Watchdog…” the female answered, her expression looking a bit…pained, “I’m certain my elder sister—your mother—would’ve wished for it too,” she continued, her hand rising to grip the sleeve of her robe as she glanced away from her nephew, “despite that, here you are…have you returned, after all, to the Underworld… _because you wish to avenge my murdered sister and her husband?_ ” She finally asked, making Ciel freeze entirely. A heavy silence hung about the room, even with the thunder continuing to roll through the sky and the heavy rain sliding over the home. I had been only half listening as they spoke, but that question made me pause in my work.

“Neither my sister and brother-in-law…now Lizzie and I would want that,” Madam Red concluded, her hands settling onto the table as she once again looked at the boy seated across from her.

“I…have never once thought to avenge my parents or anything of the sort,” Ciel started, his expression growing serious again, “were I to avenge them, the dead still would not come back to life…much less be able to enjoy the sweet taste of revenge. Calling it ‘vengeance’ or a ‘battle for revenge’ is just glossing over the truth. Such utterances amount to nothing more than the selfishness of the survivors, after all…a luxury of the living, wouldn’t you say?” he paused again, eyes glancing briefly over the chess pieces. Even Sebastian had now paused in his work, and I quickly focused back onto it, attempting to properly distract myself.

“I…did not return to Phantomhive for the sake of the previous head. _I returned for myself,_ ” he finally declared, gaze once more focused on his aunt, and I couldn’t help but smirk at the words, “all I want is to give those who betrayed and defiled the name of Phantomhive…a taste of the humiliation…and pain…that I suffered…checkmate,” he concluded, placing his piece onto a different square and declaring the game over, the win belonging to the young Earl. An let out a heavy sigh, a look of slight disappointment on her face as she slumped in her seat.

“Aw, gosh! That makes forty-six losses in a row for me,” she groaned, rubbing the back of her head and ruffling out her blood red hair, “you’ve always been good at this kind of thing, and I’ve been losing to you since way back then…fu-fu!” she chuckled, a small smile spreading onto her features as she began to reminisce, “I still remember the day you were born as if it were yesterday. I’d just started out as a nurse…and I didn’t know what to do during the delivery. As a newborn, you were tiny and precious…and I felt I had to protect you,” she near rambled, a sad look entering her gaze as she pushed herself up from her seat, “though, in the end, I couldn’t bear any children of my own…” she admitted, her smile fading as she moved closer to her nephew and rested a hand on his head, “to me, you’re like my real son. And as a mother to her son, I want you to wash your hands of the Underworld,” she stated, her hand smoothing over his hair. Ciel’s look was its usual hardness before pushing her hand away his showing eye closing for a moment as he did.

“I’m here now because I wished for it. I made the choice. So…” the boy retorted, his cerulean orb settling on the woman once more, “ _I have no regrets, and…I do not wish to depend…on anyone._ ” He answered. The small clatter of papers hitting the window sill sounded as I straightened everything out, retrieving the last of the papers from Sebastian, but flinching and nearly dropping everything when my hand merely brushed his. I really needed to get this issue solved; before it escalated anymore and caused serious problems…

“Now, if you will excuse me,” the young master said, pushing himself to his feet and leaning over to peck Madam Red’s cheek, “it’s been fun, Madam.”

“I won’t lose next time…Ciel,” she answered, a small smirk spreading to her face as she winked at the child. He chuckled in response as he bowed his head, moving away from the table to exit the room and retreat to his own quarters.

“Goodnight,” he stated simply. Grelle appeared in the door seconds before the child could leave, and the Earl ended up having to move around him.

“I made some more tea—awah?!” The butler exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock as he watched the young master leave the room. Sighing, I once more fixed the papers, sifting through them again to make sure they were in proper order.

“…Why does he…” the madam started with a small sigh, leaning onto the table and weaving her fingers together, her chin resting on her hands, “why must that child…shoulder something so heartbreaking and painful?” she asked, mostly to herself, but I nonetheless answered.

“Out master always carries out his word,” I huffed, retrieving more papers from Sebastian, “even if the path he must walk as a result is long, dark…and cold…” I said softly, finishing the work and handing the last of it to Sebastian.

“It is for those reasons that we vowed to stay and serve by his side,” the male continued, his eyes closing for a moment as he spoke, the papers still held in his grasp.

“I suppose he’ll keep going even if I try to stop him…” Angelina mumbled, her eyes sliding shut, “I couldn’t be there for him when he was suffering most,” she sighed, the comment more of a spoken passing thought than a pure statement. Staying silent, I began to turn and leave the room to tend to Ciel, until the woman in red spoke once more.

“ _Sebastian. Cassandra,_ ” she called, both of us turning our gaze towards her, “I know I shouldn’t ask this of you two when we barely know each other…but please don’t ever leave his side…” she asked, her eyes still closed, “so he doesn’t stray off his path and wander alone.” The woman was sounding like she could be close to tears; it didn’t help that she now had her head bowed and her hands clasped tightly in front of her face. We glanced at one another briefly before a polite smile spread to the butler’s face, and he bent onto one knee, his hand falling over his heart, and he bowed his head in respect.

“I can speak for Cassandra and myself when I say we shall stand by his side and protect him until the very end,” the male vowed, pushing himself to his feet after and exiting the room. I followed in silence, my expression once more solemn as I was consumed once more with my inner turmoil. A quick huff left me as I reached Ciel’s room, Sebastian knocking on his door and entering only upon the allowance. We found the boy curled on his side, expression holding its usual boredom as he watched us enter. I began moving about the room, picking up anything lying about and sifting through his clothes to pick out what he would wear the following day.

“…Well? How about it?” he asked, his gaze shifting to his butler. He was commenting on the list of suspects.

“Cassandra and I have both simulated the events more than we can count, and only the Viscount could have been involved in this string of murders,” he answered, holding up the papers and sorting through them, once again reviewing the names. I stopped when everything was prepared for the following day, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed and merely waiting for what needed to be said.

“So we have to alter our search conditions?” The boy asked, letting out a weary sigh as he pushed himself up into a seated position and ran a hand through his hair, “the Viscount couldn’t have been involved in yesterday’s killing!” he grumbled. Clearly this was nagging on his brain; he didn’t have all the facts, and it was making him crazy.

“True,” I answered, leaning back on my hands and crossing my legs, my foot swaying in the air slightly, “it would have been impossible for any of the persons who were at the Viscount’s residence,” I explained, struggling to hide the smirk trying to spread along my face. Sighing again, Ciel slumped back against his pillows, his showing eye closing as he ran his hand through his hair again, pushing the blue-grey locks from his face.

“Anyway, tomorrow we’ll—” he started, his movements suddenly halting as his eyes snapped wide open, shock apparent on his features as he turned towards us, “…Sebastian…Cassandra…” he started, pushing himself up again into a more proper sitting position, “ _you don’t mean…”_ he whispered, eyes still wide and unblinking. My smirk finally pulled over my face, and the looked was a perfect match the black clad butler’s, his hands moving behind his back.

“I have told you many times that we do not lie,” he purred, stepping closer to his master and extending his hand towards the boy’s face, yet not making contact with it, “we, your ‘chessmen’, are your ‘might’, your ‘hands and feet’. You alone will decide…you yourself will choose…and for that, we shall become your ‘might’. _You said as much ‘that day’_ ,” He said, repeating the very words the boy had said to his aunt moments ago.

“We are merely a ‘butler’ and ‘maid’, and we will not cross that line,” I continued, pushing myself to my feet and moving to stand beside the male, “we only faithfully execute what the master orders, and answer what the master asks of us,” I explained, placing a hand over my heart and bowing my head as Sebastian once more bent to his respectful crouch.

“So it was impossible for a person who was there?” Ciel asked, sending a glare cold enough to kill at both of us.

“Yes. Exactly,” I answered, my grin spreading wider.

“Now I see…you bastards…” the boy hissed out, his jaw clenching. Appeared he was finally beginning to put all the pieces together. Sebastian chuckled softly as he stood up, tossing the papers in his hands and letting the fragments flutter through the air about the room.

“By your order, we, your ‘chessmen’, shall become your ‘sword’,” he started, once more standing up straight, “ _now then…let us move into check…master._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dramaaaaaaa! about damn time i put in a little angst-y goodness


	12. Identities Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reveal of the true Jack the Ripper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji belong to Yana Toboso

_End of the nineteenth century—  
As the social season was coming to a close, there occurred a serial murder case that shook Great Britain to its core. The victims were all prostitutes. Every one of them was discovered chopped into pieces, their wombs stolen right out of their bodies. Because of the state in which the victims were found, the killer became known as—_

_**“Jack the Ripper.”** _

* * *

“It’s cold…” Ciel muttered to himself as he crossed his arms more securely over his frame, attempting to block out most of the chill of the night air. We three had made our way from the manor and to the slums of London to find the killer and keep an eye on the next victim on the list. Sebastian and I stood on either side of the young earl, the child dressed in clothes that would make him less recognizable as the Earl Phantomhive, which explained most of the reason for his chills.

“Though your usual garb would have stood out in the East End,” Sebastian started, his hands moving to remove his coat to keep the boy warmer, “you must be feeling chill in those clothes?”

“It looks like it might rain as well,” I mused, my gaze turning skywards. I was unaffected by the cold, and had changed into my own less recognizable attire; I fit the image perfectly of a harlot. A slightly tattered dress with a drooping neckline, a simple woven shawl over my shoulders, fingerless gloves on my hands, and my long hair piled on my head in a messy bun. Even my heels were higher than my normal pair.

“Wearing that will make me stand out just as much, so I’ll pass,” the boy huffed out as he held up his hand to stop his servant from giving him the coat, his arms crossing tightly over his chest again immediately after, “you’re both certain he’ll make an appearance if we keep watch here, right?” he questioned, glancing up at both of us.

“Yes,” I started, glancing briefly over at the alleyway, “that is the only entrance, and this the only path that leads to it,” I explained, turning back to the boy and crossing my own arms over my chest.

“And you’re positive the next target will be Mary Kelly, who lives in that tenement?” the boy questioned further, peeking around me and into the alley himself to glance at the door.

“Yes,” Sebastian answered this time, finished with buttoning his coat properly and moving his hands behind his back, “we have told you as such numerous times. Though the three of us lying in wait here makes us stick out like sore thumbs…” he added, the last bit more of a comment on Ciel denying his coat. In all honesty it was Sebastian that stood out the most; he was still wearing his uniform, whilst Ciel and I were actually wearing some sort of disguise.

“Quite…in addition to the murdered prostitutes ‘lacking internal organs’, there is still another commonality,” Ciel huffed, his foot rising to rest against the wall as he turned his gaze to the ground, “but… _what makes killing them a necessity for **him**?_ ” he asked aloud. Alright, so it appeared he still had yet to fully piece things together. A small rustle made me turn my head towards the noise, and I flinched upon Sebastian already holding a stray feline with stripes…like a tiger. Something started to stir in my chest at that, and I quickly looked away, clearing my throat and alerting Ciel what his servant was doing.

“Moreover, I…hey, are you listening to a word I’m saying, Sebastian?!” the Earl snapped, the older male flicking his gaze towards his master and blinking at him innocently.

“Ah, excuse me. I could not resist,” he stated, still holding the feline, “as she is a rare beauty, I...” he mumbled, glancing back down at the cat.

“We’re not keeping it, so put it back!” the boy snapped again, pushing away from the wall and facing the butler more directly.

“Very well…” the male sighed, reluctantly releasing the feline and watching it scamper off. Sighing again, the young Earl leaned against the wall again, his gaze drifting off for a moment. I watched them both for a moment before my own mind began to wander, going back to the conversation we held before actually coming here.

* * *

_—So it was impossible for a person who was there?_

_“Yes,” I answered, my grin still wide on my face, “it was impossible **for a human being** ,” I clarified._

_“Now I see…you bastards…” the boy hissed out, glaring at both us demons, our smirks mirroring each other before I let out a huff of annoyance, glancing about at all the papers the male had thrown._

_“Really, Sebastian, was that action entirely necessary? Now I have all this mess to clean up,” I sighed, not really caring, but it was amusing to actually act like a maid sometimes._

_“Worry about it later, Cassandra,” Ciel snapped, clearly not amused with the change of topic. The outburst of unnecessary anger had the older male laughing to himself._

_“We have spoken the truth many times from the beginning,” he started, still chuckling softly, “likewise, we have not **remotely** lied with respect to the results of our inquiry.”_

_“’Someone well-versed in medical science and anatomy’, ‘someone involved with a secret society or cult of black magic’, and ‘someone with no alibi on the nights of the murders’. The only **human being** who fills these conditions is the Viscount of Druitt,” I continued, actually stepping on one of the papers as I moved close again._

_“Indeed, you two were telling the truth…however…” the boy seethed, his hand crumbling one of the papers that had fallen onto his bed before thrusting it up and holding it in our face as he tore the parchment right in half, “the inquiry was but a farce!” he snapped, tossing the pieces aside and continuing to glare._

_“We were simply following your orders, sir,” Sebastian answered, smiling politely. I could hear Ciel’s teeth gnash together before his hand lashed out towards his pillows and flung them at us, clearly not amused._

_“My, my, are you taking your anger out on us?” I asked, merely moving my head to the side and allowing the pillow to fall to the floor behind me with a dull “thud”, “young master, I thought you kept us by your side… **knowing full well what we are like** ,” I purred, turning around to pick up the flung objects and patting them off before moving to set them back onto Ciel’s bed._

_“…Shut up! I am well aware!” the boy snapped. I merely smiled politely back at him, and he stared back for a moment before letting out an annoyed sigh and running his hand through his hair. He glanced back over at us as I fixed the pillows, expression turning deadly serious._

_“Is he…the same as you two?” he asked, his eyes shifting back and forth between us. There was a silence as Sebastian and I shared a look, and I only smirked as I looked aware. I knew damn well what we were dealing with._

_“Hmm…no, he is not,” Sebastian answered, holding his chin in thought, “you can give credit to Cassandra for figuring out what he is first, seeing as how she has conversed with them before, and I daresay someone like him in the human world is unusual in and of itself, but—”_

_“He is neither a human nor a devil…?” Ciel interrupted. He could handle his own demons, but something he was inexperienced with was clearly bothering the boy, “then what…is he?” Sebastian only smirked in response, silent for a moment before opening his mouth to answer._

_“He is—”_

* * *

_“ **GYAAAAAH!!** ”_

The sound of a woman screaming snapped me back to reality, my eyes growing wide in shock. Apparently the same happened to Ciel, his showing eyes growing impossibly wide before he whipped around me, shocked confusion on his face.

“Wha—?! But no one entered the room—!” the boy shouted, starting to make a dash for the door already. Sebastian and I followed close behind, and the boy the one to slam the door open. What we were met with was…something I thought could only exist during torture in Hell.

Blood splattered onto Ciel’s face as he stared wide eyed in shock at the scene before us. We had been far too late for Mary Kelly, her body torn open with her innards spilling onto the floor, and her womb already removed. Her eyes stared frozen in fear, the dead gaze staring at the nothing that the soul would be trapped in forever.

“ _You must not look!!_ ” the male demon snapped, covering both my eyes and Ciel’s before pulling back from the doorway and into the beginning rain. The boy started to shake, his hat falling to ground before he began to vomit, the scene too much for him even at a glance. My problem, however, was the carnage had affected me in an entirely different way; my eyes were glowing brightly, changing to their demonic side, and I could feel my canines extend until I held the near jaws of the animal I turned to. My breaths became ragged once my eyes were covered, both trying to keep my demonic side at bay while trying not to tear Sebastian’s hand off my face and devour the soul of the dead female inside. It had been longer than I thought since I had eaten a soul, more so not seeing so much blood, a very common sight in Hell. Panting, my hands lashed back to press my claws to his thigh, the other gripping onto his wrist, the actions more like an anchor to keep me sane, and fortunately it was working. The male seemed unfazed by my actions, simply allowing me to do what was needed to calm me down, and he even turned his gaze back towards the room with a smirk on his face.

“You have made _quite a mess of things_ ,” he called out, the sound of heels clacking on soaked hardwood already sounding as the killer delved further out of the room and into the dim lighting of the alleyway, “‘Jack the Ripper’…or should I say… _Grelle Sutcliff._ ”

As the male finally stepped into the light, his appearance was almost as ghastly as the dissected female in the home; his face and clothes were covered in blood, even to his glasses, and his expression remained the same as it always did; near unreadable, until he began to speak, and it changed to his flustered normality.

“N-no, this is…” he started, his voice shaking as though he really did have no idea what would happen, “I rushed in because I heard the screams, but she was already…” he continued, actually starting to shake to go with the façade.

“Already…what?” Sebastian pressed, raising a brow at the other, still keeping both Ciel’s and my eyes covered, “we have been keeping an eye on the sole path here all night. How in the world did you manage to enter that room at the end of this blind alley and evade us?” he pressed. Letting out a weary sigh, I finally managed to push the male’s hand from my face, but my claws were still embedded into his thigh.

“Do you really plan to feign innocence, looking as you do?” I breathed, my teeth looking much more normal, but my eyes still maintaining their demonic glow as I glared, more so out of trying to hold back from mauling the other, “enough of this, Mister Grelle…no. _Even ‘Grelle Sutcliff’ is just an assumed identity_ …So, what say you cease your silly act, ‘Mister Grelle’?” I huffed out, watching his expression remain the same.

“Judging from how quickly Cassandra figured you out, I assume she has dealt with ‘someone of your ilk’ before. This is my first time meeting one in the human world, however,” Sebastian mused, still keeping the smirk on his face as he watched the blood soaked butler, “You did a superb job of acting like _one of them._ ”

“Superb…job…?” he mumbled, expression covered in shadows, “Tee-hee! _Is that soooo?”_ The change in the male was near instantaneous. One moment he was retaining his meek and flustered self, and now a Cheshire grin was stretched across his face, his eyes holding a slight mania, and what stood out most was his twin rows of pointed teeth.

“Hit the nail on the head, did you?” he beamed, reaching a hand up and pulling loose the red ribbon keeping his hair pulled back, “ _I_ am an actress,” he continued, removing his glasses and putting them in his coat pocket before pulling out a comb, “and a first rate one at that,” he was rambling at this point. Pulling the comb through his hair, the combination of that and the rain seemed to wash away the black in his hair and replace it with his natural fiery red, “but neither are you ‘Sebastian’ and ‘Cassandra’, yes?” he countered, actually putting on fake eyelashes. I shuddered, only imagining what the final result of his wardrobe change would be. He had even changed his white, blood stained gloves to pure black ones.

“The young master gave us those names,” Sebastian answered, watching the transformation, “so yes, we are ‘Sebastian’ and ‘Cassandra’… _for now_.”

“Oh my, his faithful dogs, are you?” the male cooed, placing on a different set of glasses, the frames the same red as his hair, “I’m not normally one for women but that type of stud makes me weak in the knees, he does! Now then, once again, Sebastian…no, Sebastian-darling! _I am the butler of the Burnett House, Grelle Sutcliff, at your service!”_ He chirped out. He had taken on a different personality entirely; certainly far more flamboyant than normal, “My dearest fellow butler, I am in your hands!” he cooed, actually blowing a kiss at my mate. I still denied that fact whenever it was brought up, but that one action had me bristling, and goose bumps were already forming on Sebastian skin. The hand I had a hold of quickly drew from my grip and wrapped securely around my waist before I could run over and start pummeling Grelle for such actions.

“Oooh, I finally get to show you my true colors!” the red head chirped, head tilting “cutely” to the side, “it was utterly mortifying to be seen in front of a stud such as yourself with no makeup on! My hair color was dreadfully dull too! Tee-hee! Little old me’s never run into a devil posing as a butler or maid before, so at first I was shocked as shocked could be!” the male giggled, wagging his finger through the air in some sort of dismissive manner.

“Allow me to echo those sentiments, hmm?” Sebastian answered, the smirk appearing on his face again soon after.

“I have been living for quite some time, but I have never heard of ‘someone of your ilk’ being a ‘butler’,” I huffed out, my eyes still set in a steely glare, but now for other reasons, “one who is supposed to stand neutral between God and humans… _a Grim Reaper…!_ ” I hissed. I knew of many, but only one did I spend most of my time with. The fact that a Reaper was doing such things…if Grelle were to be caught, he would surely be punished…

“Why did you, a ‘god’ of sorts become a butler?” Sebastian asked, his expression turning serious again as he watched the ostentatious male, who was merely grinning right back at us.

“Don’t be such a stuffed shirt, sweetie,” he chuckled, attention clearly focused solely on Sebastian, “but…very well…I suppose you could say I fell head over heels for a woman,” he cooed, one hand rising to hold the side of his face as he practically gushed.

“And that woman is—”

“Whether you hear him out or not I think you already know,” a female called from inside the home of Mary Kelly. The young Earl’s hand twitched at the sound, clearly recognizing the voice.

“Cassie, Sebastian,” Madam Red finished as she stepped closer into the light, now standing beside Grelle, her arms crossed over her frame. Ciel finally made a move, even if it was only to simply move Sebastian’s hand from over his eyes and send an icy glare towards his own aunt.

“…Madam,” he breathed. Even in that one world I could hear the malice…the betrayal...Ciel was just as upset as before when he figured all this out.

“I miscalculated. I never imagined there would be someone by Ciel’s side who could see through Grelle’s disguise,” Angelina admitted almost casually, a faint smirk on her face as she came to a stop. Ciel’s other hand moved to wipe off his face, still glaring at his relative.

“…Madam was, of course, on our initial list of suspect,” the boy started, getting rid of the bile still on his face, and the spot of blood on his cheek, “but…your alibi was flawless.”

“How could you, Ciel?” the woman breathed, the smirk back as she tilted her head softly, feigning hurt, “you went so far as to doubt me, your dear aunt?” she asked, remaining where she was.

“If the possibility of one being Jack exists—kin or acquaintance—it matters not,” Ciel answered, completely telling the truth; he was loyal to the Queen, and if Madam was the culprit, she needed to be taken in and judged accordingly, “ _no human_ on the list of suspects could have committed all the murders. Of course, that includes you, Madam,” he explained hands dropping to his sides, “but it is a different story with a Reaper as your accomplice. If he can enter Mary’s room in an instant without us noticing, he would also be capable of instantly transporting himself over the lengthy distance between the West End and the East End. And if a servant were to disappear from the party for a matter of minutes…no one would pay any heed. Therefore, only the two of you can be Jack the Ripper. Madam Red and Grelle Sutcliffe!

“The victims in the Jack the Ripper case had something else in common, on top of ‘being prostitutes’ and ‘missing their wombs’,” The boy continued, starting to reach into his pocket, “all of them underwent a ‘certain procedure’ at the Royal London Hospital, where Madam is employed,” he stated, flipping open the paper he had retrieved and showing the list of crossed off names, all of them the victims of the red haired duo, “this lists those patients in the order of their surgery dates. The order in which the victims were killed corresponds perfectly to the order in which they went under the knife. Only Mary Kelly, who resided in that tenement, was on that list and ‘still alive’. I thought you two would show up if we kept watch here. But still…I was unable to save her…” the boy finished softly, his showing eyes glancing down towards the ground, as though regretting he hadn’t figured this all out sooner.

“How sad, Ciel…” the Madam started, a sorrowful expression on her features as she gazed at the boy, “my lovely nephew. My…elder sister’s son…if you hadn’t insisted on getting to the bottom of all this, we might’ve played chess again,” she sighed, the boy directly his gaze back towards her, “however…” she paused, her hands dropping to her side and clenching in tight fists, “ _I will not yield **this time!!**_ ” she finally shouted, seconds before a loud whir echoed in the area. I barely registered what it was before Sebastian pushed both me and his master out of the way and clapped his hands onto the weapon Grelle was now wielding. It was something I could only begin to imagine when it came to weaponry, the blades rotating into a blur, and I could only stare wide eyed as Sebastian pushed the blade out of the way, and the Reaper away from us.

“Wh—?! What is that?!” The boy snapped, his expression revealing his shocked confusion.

“All Reapers possess a tool for hunting souls,” I started, keeping a hand on the boy’s shoulder should I need to pull him out of the way again, “ _it is known as the ‘Death Scythe’_. Though this is my first time seeing one that looks like that…” I mumbled, my eyes narrowing on the still whirring blade.

“Those blades are rather troublesome…” Sebastian huffed out, pushing his hair away from his face. They were troublesome to anyone still breathing, definitely.

“Something as unbecoming as a scythe wouldn’t suit me in the least, wouldn’t you agree?” Grelle cooed, grin stretched wide across his face, “so I customized it to my specifications! A ‘Death Scythe’ juuust for me, which plays the grandest harmony with the death throes of a soul! Of course, it’s sharpness is guaranteed,” he rambled on, soon bringing the weapon up to hold in front of his face, “ _a tool that only a god like me can wield to chop anyone and anything into itty bitty pieces!_

“My body’s gotten all stiff ‘cos I’ve been a good little Grelle this whole time! Now I sooo want to work up a sweat with Y-O-U!” he chirped, holding a hand and wriggling his rear in the air, the comment directed towards Sebastian, who was still looking a bit pale at such derogatory remarks.

“Would you mind refraining from such sickening displays?” the male demon sighed in answer, the annoyance clear on his face, “firstly, I am on duty at present. Second, I already belong to someone else.” Well, if that didn’t get me blushing then nothing would.

“Ahhhhn. You’re so stoic!,” Grelle gushed, swinging around his scythe, “I can’t get enough of this side of you ei—…wait. Whaaaat?! Isn’t your marriage to Cassie just a ruse?!” The red haired male countered, clearly displeased by the notion I was actually with the male. In answer, Sebastian reached back and yanked me forward, and I barely even managed a proper protest before his lips crushed against mine in an impossibly searing and passionate kiss. My hand flew to his chest as a support as I stared at his face, his own eyes open and unwavering…and damn it all he even started smirking again. I squeezed my eyes shut, barely hearing the gasp of shock from Grelle, a sigh of utter annoyance from Ciel, and a muttered “oh my” from Madam Red. I soon started to let out little noises of protest, gripping at his coat when my lungs started to burn from lack of oxygen, and he finally broke the kiss after what seemed like hours, leaving me in a breathless daze, and I was still clinging to him once he pulled away. He turned his gaze back towards Grelle afterwards, who even in my daze I could see turning red with anger and jealousy.

“Does that seem like ‘just a ruse’ to you?” he asked sardonically, his arm wrapping about my waist to keep me from crumbling to the ground. My breaths were ragged as I tried to get my mind back into focus, still maintaining a grip on the male’s coat until I was feeling…calmer. Scowling, I swatted at his chest as I pushed back slightly, eyes narrowed on his face.

“Are you _trying_ to get me killed…?” I ground out. I didn’t need to turn around to know how much Grelle was practically hating me right now.

“UGH. I’m going to pretend I didn’t just witness such a thing,” the male Reaper groaned, “you’re lucky your hair is my favorite beloved red, Cassie!” he went on, waving his weapon around again before placing his hands on his hips with a huff. A confused looked passed over my features, and a wide grin spread across his face again.

“Let me tell you a little something, dearies,” he started, “the color red makes me swoon. I just love red for my hair, clothes, and lipstick. That’s why I adore making over ugly women with the red of their blood. The more glamorous the woman, the more alluring she becomes, just like a beautiful, poisonous flower, right?” he cooed, his manic grin back as he adjusted his weapon, “and I’ll bet a fine stud and beauty like you two fitted up in rose colors will be the absolute best! I’ll cut you both open deep, splatter you with all the many shades of crimson…and mess you up most glamorously!”

“A reaper is one who quietly hunts the souls of the dying,” I started, hands clenching into tight fists around Sebastian’s coat again, “a butler is one who accompanies his master like a shadow.”

“Your poor taste goes against the aesthetics of both...and fair raises my bile,” Sebastian interrupted. I was the daughter of Hell’s king, and knew the rules as well as any Reaper should. I was just glad I had Sebastian’s arm around my waist as an anchor to keep me from pummeling him all over for a different reason.

“Boooo-boooo!! I worked hard as a butler for my master!” Grelle huffed back, his face settling into a pout, “I didn’t wear makeup or dress pretty or anything when I was at work!”

“I am appalled. How can you call yourself a butler?” Sebastian countered, his expression that of utter disdain as he watched the male reaper. A wide grin broke back along his face at the demon’s response, his hold on his weapon shifting so it rested on his shoulder, as his hand lifted towards his face, tongue sticking out between his sharp teeth.

“ _Even so, I am still a butler...for **death!**_ ” he called, giving a pose that once more made me want to hurt him desperately. Ciel, who had remained silent the entire time, finally moved his hand up to his medical eye patch and removed it.

“ _—In the name of the Queen and mine own evil title, I command you! **Hunt them down!**_ ” he ordered, giving us both a stern expression. Sebastian’s eyes changed as my own did, one of his hands moving up to tug his glove down with his teeth as he smirked. This might prove to be entertaining.

“ _ **Yes, my Lord.**_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god, i am LOVING THIS  
> next chapter will be the conclusion of Jack the Ripper's arc!


	13. Madam's Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle begins, but there is a cost...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso

“Right then,” Sebastian huffed out, the buttons of his coat popping open sounding softly before he removed the material, and promptly tugging it down over our little Master’s head to conceal it from the rain.

“Wha--?!” Ciel stammered out before the older male demon interrupted his protests.

“Please do not allow yourself to catch a chill. Cassandra and I shall prepare some hot milk when we have returned to the town house. And I shall sweeten it with honey or brandy or something of the sort,” he promised as he retreated his hands to face our current adversary. Ciel looked as though he were to say something before the sound of Grelle’s death scythe revving back to life echoed along the walls of the alleyway.

“Ohhh?” Grelle hummed, a grin appearing back across his face as he tugged the cord, “I’m not going to let you go running home just like that, you know!? Little death scythe here and I are both full of soooo much pent-up energy these days ‘cos our quarry has been much too easy to... _ **hunt!**_ ” He exclaimed, pausing to leap into the air and make the first attack. I quickly yanked Ciel out of the way before Sebastian could shove him, both of us colliding against the alley wall, but the blow to Ciel was softened because of me being his shield. The sound of the ground breaking apart as the scythe crashed and ground against the cobblestones rang in my ears, and I stared wide eyed at the debris with the little Lord.

“ _I much prefer doing the chasing myself to being chased, Sebastian Darling!_ ” Grelle gushed, once more striking that ridiculous pose, “ _so let’s have ourselves a marvelous game of tag, shall we?!_ ” He exclaimed, once more dashing forward for another attack. Sebastian only scowled before back flipping to dodge, more of the street becoming torn up. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut on the “butler’s” comment, however.

“I will have to ask you to refrain from uttering such vile drivel!” I snapped, only realising what had managed to slip past my lips when Sebastian gave me a wide eyed expression. I immediately slapped a hand over my mouth and pretended I hadn’t said anything.

“Pipe down, Cassie! I’m sure he’ll be hooked on my little one once he’s had a taste!” Grelle snapped back, the manic grin stretching wider across his face as he seemed to be able to find a close enough attack range where Sebastian couldn’t dodge. The demon managed to snatch up an entire lamppost and use it as a defence, the loud clang of metal on metal once more making my ears ring, the buzz only growing worse as the teeth of the scythe ground against the post.

“Ooh! You don’t look it, but you’re pretty powerful, Sebastian Darling!” The reaper gushed again, beginning to apply more force, “that warms my cockles too, it does! However... _ **the real show begins now!**_ ” He hollered, and a low growl started to build in my throat as the tool began to actually cut through the post, the only thing holding me back being Ciel and the fact I would likely get him hurt to protect Sebastian; which led me to question where that particular urge came in the first place.

“The death scythe can cut through a gas lamp _**like a twig!**_ ” Grelle finally exclaimed, the post breaking entirely, and Ciel’s hand on my arm stilled any of my actions on seeing Sebastian’s blood beginning to spray from the injury to his arm. Sure as hell didn’t stop my snarl of outrage at both the injury and the fact I was being forced not to tear the reaper limb from limb. The sound stilled in my throat as his blood began to change to a film reel, the images portrayed there being from the past, more accurately what had happened after meeting Ciel...and when we had made our own deal. The images vanished just as quickly as they appeared, and both Sebastian and myself were in stunned silence, mine more embarrassed at having to relive those moments of our deal.

“--How was it for you, hm?” Grelle called, “the pain you felt must’ve been rather dramatic, no?” He cooed, tongue dragging over his lips and teeth as he licked them, “that just now was a little talent we reapers have... _the 'Cinematic Record’_ ,” he started, the whirring of the engine halting for a moment as he explained, “Grim Reapers receive a list of those scheduled to die and judge them by playing back their memories using the ‘ record’. We look at what sort of humans they were, and what sort of lives they lived. Should we allow them to live? Or should we kill them?

“People say a magic lantern passes before their eyes when they are on the verge of death, but that’s just reapers like lil’ ole me playing back that human’s ‘memories’. For those who receive the judgement ‘this human should die’, we use our death scythes to sever their memories and souls from their bodies, and, for them, it is _**‘the end’**_ ,” he finally concluded, daintily lifting the hem of his coat and giving a slight curtsy, the grin remaining on his face all the while.

“I had presumed you were only guilty of poor taste,” Sebastian sighed, cocking a brow at the redhead, “but...a peeping Tom as well, are you? Truly the lowest of the low,” he huffed, body tensing again as the whir of the engine echoed.

“Non, non! That is our job!” Grelle defended, dashing forward once more, “but...yes, alright! I admit, I am a wee bit curious about what lurks in the pasts of fine men like yourself!” He cried, his swings becoming far more precise, even though they managed to still hold their random intensity, to the point Sebastian was barely dodging, and Ciel’s grip tightened further on my arm, “especially when they seem to be the bad boy type!!” One wrong step and Sebastian was cornered, Grelle getting him from behind. The demon barely managed to turn around and clap his hands on the blade, keeping it from slicing into his shoulder as it embedded into the brick wall.

“Tee hee hee! You can’t _play make believe_ with yours truly like you do with humans, Sebastian Darling,” Grelle chided, beginning to drag the blade down with his words, one aching inch at a time, “the death scythe can slice right through memories, souls, dimensions... _ **and even...devils!**_ ” He near growled in his glee, and I growled at him as the cloth of Sebastian’s coat began to tear. The clack of Madam Red’s heels caught my attention, and I looked over to see a somewhat disappointed Ciel staring over at her.

“...Why?” The boy asked simply, his gaze icy but still confused.

“Why? What is the point of asking me now?” An countered, a smirk playing on her red lips, “when you and I have become the ‘watchdog’ and its ‘prey’?” She continued, stepping slowly closer, “if I don’t hunt the watchdog, I will be hunted. In which case... _there is only one way out!!_ ” She suddenly hollered, brandishing a knife and dashing forward faster than I gave her credit for. Ciel pushed me away in his attempt to dodge the blade, the knife slicing his arm anyway, and he let out a low hiss of pain as he gripped his hand over the wound. His glare settled back onto his aunt nonetheless.

“Madam. You are a physician. Why would you kill--?!”

“A brat like you will never understand!! Not ever!!” The flame haired woman interrupted, dashing forward again and slamming Ciel into the wall, her hand curled around his throat. I was trapped between saving my master, and saving my mate; only one could be saved from where I stood, despite my speed. An was too close to Ciel for me to properly reach him, and Grelle was matching Sebastian’s own speed with ease, being a reaper certainly his advantage here. I was forced with a decision that was steadily becoming harder to make.

“I wish you...that someone like you--!” An growled, her grip tightening on Ciel’s throat and causing him to let out choked coughs for air, “that someone like you... _ **HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!!**_ ” She finally exclaimed, raising the knife high over her head. I made the decision without thinking as I saw that blade start to come down. I barely heard Sebastian’s cry, first for his master, then for me as I ran and put myself between Ciel and his aunt, the cold heat of the blade sinking into my back a second later as I dragged Ciel to my chest and covered him from harm. Of course that alone wouldn’t kill me; but that blade sinking right to my heart was enough to put me down for the count for the time being. All I could smell was my blood before Sebastian’s power pushed on the edges of my brain, Ciel’s shout to stop him from killing An barely registering in my ears. Groaning, I couldn’t help drag Ciel with me to the ground as I started to droop, the boy disentangling himself from my hold but still helping me lower without going onto my back. His eyes went wide when he saw his butler, my eyes following the direction and widening to see the deep gash in his shoulder.

“Sebastian…?” I gasped out, my brows furrowing. He had taken on such an injury, but at the time I wasn’t sure if it was for me or for our young master.

“Tee-hee! Why, Sebastian Darling, you’ve got guts!” Grelle gushed again, his scythe still encased in brick, but now accompanied by a large splattering of blood, “to think you would sacrifice an arm to go rescue that bitch!” That earned him another punch when I was better, “but you are a wholly different story... _Madam!!_ ” He snapped, dragging the weapon from the wall and facing the clearly in shock human woman, the female jolting at the call, “you just go on and kill that brat, you hear!?” He ordered, taking a step closer to her.

“...No,” she mumbled, her voice barely audible, but it was enough to take my by surprise.

“Hunh?”

“ _I cannot...I cannot kill this child…!_ ” She finally sobbed out, her hands gripping at her chest and stomach, her jaw clenched tightly to hold back her sobs.

“How can you say that now?!” Grelle snapped, propping his weapon on his shoulder, “after you’ve chopped up all those women! If you don’t kill him, he’ll kill you instead!” He accused, a sneer contorting his face, “and after _I’ve_ gone to all the trouble of assisting you!”

“But...But!!” She started, her voice cracking slightly. Her fists clenched at her sides before she whirled around the face the “butler”, her eyes pleading and tears already gathering in her eyes, “This child is my--!” Her words stopped dead in her throat as Grelle’s death scythe slide clean through the center of her chest, her eyes going wide in shock before blood splurted from her mouth. She began to fall backwards, the only thing stopping her being the grip Grelle had on his blade.

“ _I am so disappointed in you, Madam Red_ ,” he growled, a deep scowl settled onto his face as he wrenched the blade from An’s chest, “ _I can’t say I care a shred for this plain woman you’ve become._ ” Horror was splayed upon Ciel’s features as he watched his aunt fall to the ground in a heap on her back, blood still splashing out from her chest before it too began to alter into the cinematic record, just as Sebastian’s blood had; only this time it was her entire life we were seeing…

* * *

* * *

_“...N...An! Angeliiina!” Came the call of Angelina’s elder sister, the young freckled redhead turning to face the source of the call. The scene was Angelina sitting inside of a gazebo, a book on her lap and her usual blood red hair split into two braids, her bangs hanging slightly in her eyes._

_“Sister,” she answered simply, watching as the blonde haired blue eyed vision of her sister travel excitedly towards her, a bright smile lighting her features._

_“In here again, I see,” the young woman chided, a giggle bubbling after the words, “Father is calling for you. He has a guest he wishes to introduce to us. We mustn’t keep him waiting,” the blonde chided, reaching down and beginning to tug insistently on the crimson haired girl’s hand._

_“Eeh!? But I’m dressed like this…” An grumbled, still rising to her feet nonetheless and fully revealing her simple gown and apron combination, “And I haven’t powdered my nose!!” She persisted further, intent on remaining with her book. The other young woman paused, glancing briefly at her sibling before beginning to rapidly pat off her clothes, adjust her hair, retie something that had come loose, and finally place the flower that had previously been in her hair into the redhead’s._

_“S--! Sister?” An stammered, unsure of what was happening it occurred so quickly._

_“There, all done!” The blonde finally declared as she placed the flower among the flame colored locks, despite the soft pout adorning the girl’s features, “you look positively charming. You’ll do fine!” She giggled, offering her sister a wink before once more beginning to lead her to their father, “were you reading again?”_

_“Yes,” An answered, a soft smile now gracing her petite features, “I want to study lots and become a doctor. I want to find the cure for your asthma, sister. I’m unattractive, and I feel out of place at balls, so I may not be able to marry…” she concluded with a mumble, her smile fading and a pout appearing on her face._

_“What are you saying!?” The other scoffed, a half hearted scowl tugging on her face before she offered another kind smile, “An is lovely and smart. You should have more confidence in yourself. And let’s not forget…” she started, her smile turning into a wicked and gleeful grin as she pounced, popping up behind the younger and groping her chest, “you’re awfully well endoooowed!”_

_“Gyah! Sister?!”_

_“Wee-hee-hee! I’m sooo envious! Like ripe peaches, they are!”_

_**My elder sister’s health was fragile. But she was kind and beautiful, and did not put on airs, and I loved her. I loved and envied her soft flaxen hair, which was just like our mother’s.** _

_**I met “him” when I was fifteen.** _

_“Rachel, Angelina,” came their father’s voice as the memory changed to when An first met the late Phantomhive, “give your greetings to Earl Phantomhive.”_

_“How do you do?” The Earl greeted, a polite smile that appeared as almost a smirk gracing his handsome face. It was clear An was transfixed, her eyes wide and her jaw slack._

_**I despised my red hair, which was just like my father’s.  
And I loathed the color red.** _

_The memory changed again. An was back outside, a bonnet on her head, and she was speaking with the Earl, a soft blush on her face, but her expression holding that of slight shame._

_“Why do you keep your hair so long in front?” The Earl asked, clearly flustering the younger female, whose gaze became downcast._

_“I am no beauty like my elder sister, so…” Angelina started, fingers fiddling with one of her braids, “and my hair is this red as well…”_

_“You oughtn’t be so ‘ashamed’ of being different from other. It gives you character,” Phantomhive chided with a soft laugh, polite smile once again on his face, “An’s red hair is truly beautiful. The color of Lycoris, a color that blazes the earth. Red really suits you, and you should take more pride in it.” He conclude with that compliment, causing An’s blush to worsen._

_**And then, I...cut off my bangs.** _

_**I grew to love my red hair, which was just like my father’s.  
And I grew to love the color red.** _

_**And I grew to love “him”...** _

_**When “he” visited, I wore the red that he had said suited me.** _

_“My lady, Earl Phantomhive is here.” Called one of the maids of the Durless household, catching the attention of a more mature looking Angelina. Gone was the plain dress and apron combination, in its place a vibrant red gown that matched her blood red hair. A soft pat of concealer on her nose to hide her freckles and she left her room with a slight skip in her step, humming happily at the thought of how he might compliment on her attire today. The gleeful smile remained on her face as she opened the door to the parlor room, her expression settling into a shocked grimace at the sight before her._

_“Aah, you’re finally here,” her sister sighed in half relief, leaning closer to the man beside her, of whom was smiling softly down at Rachel, “An. We have some good news for you!”_

_**The “man” I love dearly was going to marry the elder sister I loved dearly.** _

_The images changed again, flickering away from the announcement to the sight of the Earl placing the band on Rachel’s finger, to the chapel, and final to them writing the necessary documents to declare the marriage official, Angelina easily spotted in her bright red attire, and a forced smile on her face._

_**I wore my favorite red dress to their wedding. If the two I cherished so were happy...then I too was happy.** _

_**Or so I should have been--** _

_The scenes changed again, the cries of a newborn reverberating before a baby boy was revealed. A maid held the cleaned and wrapped child towards his mother, a bright and relieved smile on her aged face._

_“Madam! It is a fine baby boy!” The maid cheered softly, delivering the child to his exhausted mother’s side. The smile she held on her sweat coated face was tired, but held infinite happiness._

_“I’m glad that he was born to us…” she said softly, turning her head to face her child before looking over at her younger sister, “An. You hold him. He’s your nephew,” she goaded, causing a still in shock Angelina to jump before the newborn Ciel Phantomhive was handed over to her, a soft smile pulling up the corners of her lips as she looked at his resting face._

_“He’s so precious…” **My beloved and my beloved big sister’s--**_

_“When he grows up, please play with him a lot,” Rachel asked, still smiling at the image of her sibling and her son. An giggled in response as she handed the child back to his mother._

_“Of course!”_

_“Heh-heh! Your nose is just like his,” Rachel commented. That innocent remark made Angelina feel like a dagger was shoved into her heart, her joyful expression quickly becoming forced._

_**I began to despise...the color red once more--** _

_**After that, I started attending the many social events that I had once hated. I flitted from one ball to another, wearing gorgeous makeup and bright red dresses. And soon people began calling me Lady Red.** _

_The scenes continued forward through Angelina’s life, flickering to the soirees, to her sleeping on her desk, then to her greeting patients._

_**But I also threw myself into my studies, and, against my parents’ wishes, obtained my license to practice medicine.** _

_“Auntie An, read me a story!” Begged a very young Ciel and Elizabeth, his betrothed even at that age, the bright smile so contrary to his features now and both of his bright blue eyes intact._

_“Heyyyy!!” Snapped the older woman, though not entirely seriously, “Ciel! Lizzie! What have I told you about calling me ‘aunt’!? Call me ‘Big Sister’!” She huffed, sending the two children laughing as they dashed away from their angered aunt, the family dog by their side as Angelina chased them down._

_“I feel a little guilty for always having you play with them,” Rachel called, a guilty smile on her pretty face as she sat in the shade, her asthma clearly still a hindrance when it came to even daily activities with her son and niece._

_“I don’t mind!” The redhead called back, a big grin on her face as the children she had managed to capture squealed in delight, struggling to get from of her hold, “I like children, and--” she was interrupted by the dog barking at someone as they approached, her smile faltering before fading entirely as the excited cry from Ciel, eyes growing wide in shock._

_“Ah! It’s father! Welcome home!” He cheered, dashing towards the older male with his arms spread wide for a hug. His father lifted him into the air easily, addressing the boy’s mother as he spoke, but his gaze remained on the child in his arms._

_“I left the rest to Tanaka, so I thought I’d play with the children, since the weather is so fine,” he commented, lowering Ciel until the child’s arms were wrapped around his neck. The small gathered group continued chatting and smiling, the perfect vision of happiness, and Angelina watched on in pained silence as she rose to her feet, gaze continuously drifting towards the man she had fallen in love with._

_**My warm and loving sister and her husband. My adorable nephew and his cousin. The people who I held most dear. But...somewhere within me...there was always...and emotion of which I could not let go…**_

_**And so I married a man I met at a ball. I said to him, “there is a man I cannot forget”...but in return, he said “I don’t mind”. He was a sincere and honest man.** _

_**And then I too found myself with child.** _

_The scenes changed to a pregnant An with her husband kneeling by her side as she sat down, his ear pressed to her swollen stomach, and a happy smile was on both of their faces._

_“Is it a boy?” The man asked, his excitement evident, “or is it a girl?”_

_“Hee-hee! Men are so impatient,” Angelina giggled in response, her hand moving to pat his head, “we don’t know yet.”_

_**He cherished me--And I was happy.** _

_The scene suddenly contorted like a nightmare, a scream of horror accompanied shouts, layered with the sound of something crashing and breaking._

_“A runaway carriage just slammed into someone! Call for a doctor!”_

_The images all blurred together until An was awakened in a hospital bed, a grim faced doctor in her room and explaining what had happened._

_“Your husband died upon impact,” he started, clearly not the worst of the news, “you suffered an internal haemorrhage, so we surgically removed your womb, together with your child. It was the only way to save your life…”_

_**\--Or so I should have been.** _

_“An, how awful…” Rachel cried for her baby sister, her arms wrapped around the woman’s shoulders, being mindful of her head wound and broken arm, “how simply awful…!”_

_**My sister often visited the hospital to cheer me up.** _

_The images flickered from one visit to another as Angelina made her recovery, eventually coming to a stop during one of her final days in the hospital._

_“An! I heard from the doctor!” Rachel cheered as she entered the room that day, smile wide along her face, “They say you’ll be able to leave the hospital soon?”_

_“Thanks to you,” An chuckled in answer, offering her sibling a soft smile of her own._

_“We must celebrate, then!” The blonde suggested, holding up a finger to halt any protests, “I know! My son will be celebrating his tenth birthday soon. Why don’t we celebrate your recovery then too?!” she cheered, a gleeful smile spread wide across her face. An’s own smile was beginning to look a tad forced, clearly not comfortable on intruding in her nephew’s own party._

_“B-but…” she started, brows furrowing before the look changed when her sister slapped a hand on her back._

_“Don’t worry! The correct way to celebrate a recovery is to drink and be merry with lots of people! The liquor will taste that much better when you’re free!” Rachel guffawed, a loud laugh following her encouraging statements. The scene changed once more to An inside of her carriage, a regretful expression on her face as she stared blankly at the scenery as it faded by._

__In the end, I could not refuse... _she thought to herself, a half exhausted sigh escaping her._

_**In truth, I had no desire to go. For I…  
...I...** _

_The carriage suddenly coming to a halt jolted Madam from her thoughts, her eyes going wide before she opened the door and poked her head out to see what was happening._

_“Why the sudden stop?” she asked innocently enough, her direction wandering from her horrified driver to her sister’s home._

_“M-Madam. Th-there...!!” he exclaimed, raising a violently shaking hand towards the building. The woman’s eyes went wide in horror before she sprang from the vehicle and dashed towards the home, even if in vain. The house was already completely engulfed._

_**The color...that dyed that grey December sky...was that most hateful...**_

**_RED._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I lied about it being over at this chapter. But it's such a good stopping point!  
> The next chapter will hopefully be up soon-ish. I am going to seriously push myself to get at least two chapters done a week; one on Sunday, and one on Wednesday. Look forward to it, and feel free to nag me if I delay!


	14. Curtain's Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time for this case to come to its close, but at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso!

_**That day…** _

_“SISTER!! BROTHER!!!” An shouted uselessly at the burning mansion, horror and deep sadness of her losses blatant in her gaze and expression as she could only watch the manor burn to the ground. The scene changed the charred remains, then to the funeral, wear Madam replaced her usual red attire for her time of mourning._

_**...Each and every Phantomhive lost their lives at the hands of some unknown individual.  
The manor was burnt to the ground--  
My sister and her husband were discovered in a terrible state.  
A child’s corpse was never recovered.** _

_**\--I lost everything that was precious to me. Everything had flown somewhere out of my reach.** _

_**I was sad. So sad--  
But even more-so did I envy my elder sister...for being able to die with “him,” my beloved.** _

_**And I continued to live on as the sole survivor.** _

_“Doctor!! Should you be at work so soon?” exclaimed a nurse at the hospital An worked at, the images changing once more to the very workplace._

_“I’m alright!” Madam chided in return, a half-hearted smile gracing her features, “work helps me take my mind off of other things...It’s miles better than staying home, doing nothing. Besides, I’m due in surgery this afternoon,” she explained, gaze shifting down to the clipboard in her grip._

_**Yet...** _

_“‘Em brats jus’ get in th’ way,” a crude sounding woman huffed out as she slouched in her seat, a hand rising to rustle her messy hair and brush it from her neck. From her dress and appearance alone, it was clear of what her...occupation was, “I dunno ‘oo th’ father is, and I can’t raise th’ thing on me own. An abortion ain’t free neither, but I can’t get no coves wi’ a chavy ‘round!” Angelina could only stared in mild shock at how easily this woman was asking for an abortion, unsure of how to actually respond._

_**I hated them.  
They had something I could never have, regardless of how much I wanted it.** _

_The surgery had been a success, but it was in clear distaste on Madam’s behalf, a scowl on her face as she cleaned her hands after the procedure._

_**What I wanted. What I cherished. I, who had lost it all...  
...And those whores, who possessed what I wanted more than anything...  
...But were throwing it away...** _

_**What had I done to deserve that? Why did God make me suffer so?  
I only…** _

_**...Only--** _

_The prostitute Angelina had performed surgery on came into view as she waved goodbye to her most recent client, a smirk on her face as she walked leisurely to her own home. The clack of someone’s shoes caught her attention just before she opened the door, and familiarity danced over her features._

_“Oh? Yer th’ one from afore...” she mused, her expression turning bored...then confused. The person was making their way closer, and confusion quickly changed to horror._

_“Wh--What d’you think yer doin’...” she stammered, pressing her back against the door in an attempt to flee, “no...sto...” Her words were silenced by Angelina’s knife slicing open her throat. Blood spattered onto the face of a woman with a broken mind._

_**HATEHATEHATEHATEHATE!!!** _

_A murder most foul occurred, the job quick and sloppy for her first, but her ultimate goal was completed, the woman’s uterus in the Madam’s gloved grip._

_**And so I cut them into little pieces.  
The prostitutes on whom I had performed the abortions.  
I will do away with that which you do not desire, if you so wish…  
I will take away your womb, your happiness, your life--  
Everything.** _

_**Then…** _

_Angelina’s current hacking was interrupted by a highly amused masculine voice, making her whip her head up to the source in confusion and slight fear at being caught._

_“Oh...my, myyyy! You’ve done such a glamorous job!” the voice called, hands clapping slowly in applause, “I’ve had my eye on you...all this time!”_

_**...A crimson-cloaked Grim Reaper smiled upon me.** _

_“Thanks to you, the list of the dead in this district is jam-packed!” Grelle gushed, holding up a stack of clipped papers while brushing back his hair, “You’ve made me ever so busy, you see,” he rambled on, jumping down from his perch and making his way towards a still dumbfounded Angelina, “but I understand veeeery well how you feel. Those hideous broads deserved to die.” Coming to a stop before Madam Red, he bent to her level and held her close, draping one arm over her shoulder while stroking her vibrant red hair with his other hand._

_“I want a baby of my very own too, but it seems that my being male is a biiiit of a problem. You and I, we’re like two peas in a pod,” he gushed, his grin quickly turning manic, “ **I...will lend you a hand.** ”_

_**I...cut my red hair, which was caked with blood.** _

_The monologue was accompanied by the very image, a bowl of water that was steadily turning pink to red with the woman’s once long hair draping over the edges, the reflection in the water that of the modern Madam Red._

_**\--A few months later, my missing nephew suddenly returned…** _

_“Ciel! Is it really you, Ciel?!” An cried in shocked relief after the door to her parlor slammed open, the woman bustling through the doorway a moment later only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight before her. Ciel had lost his joyful expression for one practically devoid of emotion, a bandage was wrapped around his right eye, his clothes were disheveled and baggy while his hair had certainly grown longer. As happy as she was to find her relative alive...it was the two strangers by his side that gave her pause._

_**...With a black clad butler and maid by his side.** _

_**No matter how many times I asked my nephew about what had happened while he was missing, he would not tell me a thing.  
But that was alright, because Ciel had returned.** _

_“I’m so glad...! At least you survived...” she sighed, kneeling before the boy and holding his face between her hands._

_**The only one who had returned...my beloved--** _

_**“He”, my beloved...his and my sister’s child...the child who looks so very much like her.** _

_A shock settled in Angelina’s eyes at the memory of her passed sibling, her nephew’s eyes so much like her’s. Her heart began to ache, enough that she began to cling to the front of her gown over her chest._

_**I should have been happy that Ciel had been returned to me…  
...But a sense of unease weighed on my heart.** _

_**Why did this child return, when “he” did not?** _

_**Why did this child live, while “he” died?** _

_**“His child” was not “him”.  
That boy was the son of the elder sister who took “him” away from me--...** _

_**Why had I not been the one to marry “him”?** _

_**And...Ciel, who had succeeded “him”, finally came to capture “Jack the Ripper”...  
With that face that so resembled that of my sister.  
Sister...what more are you going to take away from me?  
This time...I will not yield a thing to you...** _

_The images changed from one to another; to Ciel after his arrival home, to An as she continued to murder without mercy, to the Earl arriving in London; a comparison of him and his mother...to where they were moments ago outside of Mary Kelly’s abode. Tears streamed down An’s cheeks as she shouted her defiance to her nephew._

_**“I WILL NOT YIELD ANYTHING!!!”** _

* * *

The cinematic record came to a close, and time began to flow once more as Angelina Durless fell to the ground, tears flowing freely from her eyes and her blood spraying from her wounds. Grelle still held the scowl on his face, Ciel still stared in shock, and Sebastian and I only watched calmly. Psychopaths were never easy to determine, but a psychotic Reaper? A near impossibility, even for the daughter of the Devil.

“I loved you dyed in the deepest crimson of splattered blood...Madam Red!!” Grelle growled, his anger seething from him, “ _I haven’t the least interest in someone who gets carried away by silly emotions,_ ” he spat, uncaring how hard she fell to the cobblestone, “I helped you set up your alibi too. And I even broke the rules that govern us Reapers, killing women not on the list, all for your sake...What a let down!” he huffed, slashing the air with his weapon and flinging An’s blood from it.

“You were just the same as all those other women,” he continued, moving towards her and grabbing the back of her still intact overcoat, “you don’t deserve to wear red at all...no ma’am! The curtain has fallen on your cheap performance of ‘life’. _**Farewell...Madam,**_ ” he concluded, pulling on her coat and let it remain hanging off of his shoulders to hug his upper arms, thus turning his back on his former employer. Sebastian watched him leave with caution as Ciel kneeled beside his aunt’s now lifeless body, staring at her for a long moment of silence. A heavy sigh managed to escape the demon once Grelle was far enough, soon bending beside me to remove the dagger still embedded in my back. A sharp hiss left me as he wrenched out the blade as quickly as he could, which I honestly preferred to slow and careful. Still, it was incredibly painful, and I was left gasping through the pain once more blossoming from my chest to my back and radiating out from there. Ciel’s hand moved to close Angelina’s still open eyes, taking us both by surprise when he spoke so calmly.

“ _Sebastian. Cassandra. What are you doing?_ ” he ordered, his head still bowed, “Just because both of you are injured, that doesn’t change the fact that I ordered you both to ‘hunt Jack the Ripper’. _It’s not over yet,_ ” he huffed, finally turning his head up towards both of us, his expression entirely unreadable as he stared us both down. Grelle had come to a stop though, “ _so don’t stand around twiddling your thumbs, you two. **Hunt down the last one.**_ ” he finally ordered, making us both stare at him in shock. Sebastian soon smirked, tossing the knife previously in my back aside.

“ _ **As you wish,**_ ” he answered, shifting so he could rise to his feet. What had possessed to do what I did next, I hadn’t the foggiest. I quickly grabbed his wrist, tugging him back down and kissing him roughly, even managing to take him by surprise. It was still quicker than I would have liked, or him for that matter, but I was smirking myself when I pulled away from him.

“Just let me have a few good hits, yes?” I half growled, eager to pummel the Reaper all the more after this was over. Sebastian blinked at me in stunned silence for a moment before grinning and pecking my lips, rising to his feet after and turning to face Grelle.

“...Hee! I was all ready to let you go ‘cos I’m really not feeling it anymore, but…” Grelle started, his back turned towards Sebastian as he spoke. The rev of his tool quickly cut through the air, “if you’re that desperate to die, I’ll do you the favor of sending the three of you... _to heaven!!_ ” he shouted, swinging the blade in a large arc as the demon ducked. Good thing; he would have lost his head otherwise. Though, Grelle’s comment couldn’t help but make me start snickering.

“Heaven, was it?” I called, managing to get myself into a seated position, “you will find that none of us are fated to go there, I fear,” I chortled, leaning my shoulder against the wall.

“Agreed,” Sebastian echoed, jumping backwards away from the Reaper and kicking up one of the empty wouldn’t crates, “really, you must be aware of what we are. I didn’t peg you as a complete moron,” he chuckled, kicking the box towards said idiot.

“ _Yours truly is just in the foulest of moods at the moment!_ ” he countered, breaking the box to splinters with complete ease, “ _so don’t expect me to go easy--?!_ ” the Reaper’s words cut off when he found the male demon missing entirely from where he expected him to be, his eyes growing wide behind his glasses as he felt a sudden weight on his weapon, the male demon in question the cause as he landed on it. Barely managing to whip his head around, Sebastian worked quick, lashing his leg out to kick Grelle right in the face, though he unfortunately missed as Grelle jolted backwards to dodge it, though just barely.

“Hey…! _You just aimed for my face right now, didn’t you?!_ For a lady, her face is her life! You FIEND!!” the redhead snapped, clearly outraged by such a notion.

“Heh. Oh, you are quite right on that account,” Sebastian chuckled, landing easily on his feet, “for I am a devil of a butler.”

“Hrm! Do you think a devil can win against a god, hm?” Grelle huffed, still bristling from almost getting his face beat in.

“It is difficult to say. Having never fought one, I cannot be sure, but…” the demon started nonchalantly, “if Young Master tells us to win, then win we shall. Being what Cassandra is though, I doubt she would even need the hindrance of orders, as she is not bound to him as I am.”

“I don’t know what’s happened between you and that brat and the bitch, but you’re awfully into them both. It just riles me _riiiight_ up!” the other male hissed, earning only a smirk in response, “but...even a devil such as yourself will perish if hunted with a death scythe, you know? Aren’t you just quaking in your boots at the thought?” he suddenly giggled, engine revving back to life once again.

“ _Not at all,_ ” Sebastian hummed, “ _between those two, this body and soul...everything down to the last hair on this head, belongs to my master and mate. For obeying the master’s orders so long as the covenant endures...that is a butler’s aesthetic. His philosophy, if you will. Just as is the aesthetic to hold the role of ‘partner’ to my mate until the end of time,_ ” he exclaimed, causing a blush to spread like fire over my face, and Ciel to roll his eyes again, “if he tells me not to die, I will not die. If he tells me to die, then I shall disappear with my partner.”

“Hmmmmmm…” Grelle hummed, a smirk spreading across his face, “I do rather like men who pursue the arts, Sebastian Darling! Suddenly I want to stomp on that composed face of yours with my heels... _ **And make you lick my shoes!!**_ ” he suddenly hollered, dashing forward and swinging his blade towards the other male, Sebastian easily jumping out of the way; the alley wall, however, was significantly less lucky, and was soon spraying chunks of brick in the blade’s wake.

“A devil...and a Grim Reaper,” the flame haired male sighed, a halfway dreamy look passing over his features, “will we never be able to understand each other? If a Reaper is one whose job is to retrieve souls, a devil is a noxious beast that steals and devours those souls!” he cackled, dodging to the right as Sebastian swung down his leg.

“I resent that statement!” I hollered, quickly glancing away like I had said nothing when Grelle sent me a cold glare.

“My feelings will never be requited…” he went on, clearly ignoring my remark as he jumped into the air, “it’s as if this is... _ **the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet!**_ ” he suddenly declared. All three of us couldn’t stop the shivers of absolute disgust and horror at such a statement, goosebumps rising on mine and Sebastian’s flesh in particular. That most assuredly earned him a whole new set of beatings from me when this was over.

“If you and I are the stars, Shakespeare will grieve soundly!” Grelle sighed, skirting up the alley wall, “ _Aah, Sebastian darling! Wherefore art thou, Sebastian darling? Deny they master and mate and refuse thy spiteful name, and cast your eyes upon me alone!_ ” he declared, flipping backwards before extending his hand to the demon. Sebastian was silent until his trademark smirk appeared on his face.

“From the time _my master_ called _me_ ‘Sebastian’, that _word_ became my _covenant and christened me anew._ ” he responsed, swinging his leg upwards and just barely missing giving Grelle a swift kick to the jaw. Both landed on the roof, but I could still see at least him standing on the edge, and hear them both, “I have been ‘Sebastian’ since that day. _I vowed as much to the moon, you see?_ ” he cooed. I couldn’t thinking about other times he had sworn on something, but I quickly suppressed such thoughts. Now wasn’t the time.

“Swearing on the moon is the act of an insincere man,” Grelle chided, the clack of his heels on the roof a few feet from Sebastian echoing sharply in my ears, “your eyes are the eyes of one who does not love--tarnished eyes. You claim to love your mate, but you are a devil that defiles innocent souls with your vile hands and lips,” he snickered, making my eyes narrow at what he could possibly be thinking of. It was terrible not being able to see anything, “ _yes...ohhh, yes...you’re giving me the chills, Sebastian Darling! If it’s your child we’re talking about, I think I’ll be able to birth it!_ ”

“Oh you son of a--!” I started growling, attempting to move from my current position on the wall when pain spiked back through my chest; not to mention Ciel gave me a cold look to stop me from moving from my spot. He knew Sebastian could handle this on his own, but boy was I getting antsy about not getting to beat the soul out of that Reaper. Growling low, I flumped back against the wall, being mindful of my injury before continuing to listen.

“Please cease your folly. I find the mere thought revolting,” Sebastian shuddered in answer, and I couldn’t help but smirk, “not to mention it is biologically impossible.”

“Ahhn! Such an ice king you are! A beautiful tyrant! An angelic devil!! A raven with the wings of a dove!!!” Grelle exclaimed, emphasizing each statement with a swing of his blade, “ _ **My little lamb with the appetites of a wolf...my very own Sebastian Darling!!**_ ” he cheered, swinging his blade down. Sebastian slammed his foot on the handle, keeping the blade immobile at his feet.

“Ohh...Sebastian Darling…” he sighed, gazing up at him, “ _I wish the sun would never rise. Then we could keep hunting each other for all eternity. But...this is the end of our romantic adventure,_ ” he sighed. Lunging forward, he managed to take the demon entirely by surprise by headbutting him, “let us part with a passionate kiss! Sebastian Darling!” he giggled, once more extending his hand before readying his blade, “now... _I bid you a thousand...no, **ten thousand** adieus, my sweet prince!_ ” he cried out. The swing of his blade sung in the air before slicing clean across Sebastian’s chest. The next thing I smelled was the overly familiar scent of his blood. Ciel was lucky he could even stop me on his own in my weakened state, but I was still attempting to ignore him as I screamed for my mate. Already I could feel time slowing as his record began to play for the Reaper.

“ _Now, show me a dramatic...no, a moving moving picture…!_ ” The Reaper demanded with glee, his gaze intent upon Sebastian’s Cinematic Record. His expression froze in shock, and his already pale complexion worsened as he was met with the images of a laughing, tea drinking...Mr. Tanaka. The images that followed were of the most recent of incidences of our dysfunctional staff.

“N--! No--! Now--! Now just a minute!” Grelle screeched, completely flabbergasted, “who the hell are these idiots!? There’s not even a smidge of drama here at all!”

“You will only find mundane happenstances such as _these_ over the past year...” Sebastian chuckled, his words followed by a ragged cough from his injuries. My own growls died down, if only barely, but my pulse still felt too frantic for my tastes. I would feel better once I knew he would be fine, and Grelle was nothing but a bloody pulp.

“ _I’m not interested in ordinary folks like them! There’s nothing beautiful about them in the slightest!_ ” Grelle snapped, flailing his arms about, “ _show me something juicier!_ ” The flailing of his arms was him sifting through Sebastian’s memories as his blood played through them, and before long it was playing something...far more embarrassing on my part. It was our time in the garden playing with our now combined feline companion, and playing back further back to our time in Hell...Oh, Heaven it was when we first met. Grelle’s eyes soon opened wide in glee, then horror. He seemed to now figure out just who I was, barely having time to whip his head down to where I now stood blushing wildfire before Sebastian interrupted.

“My apologies...however...” Sebastian hummed, dashing behind Grelle and taking him by surprise at the fact he still held such speed, “you must pay to see the rest,” he cooed, winking and holding a finger to his lips. Grelle clicked his tongue as he whirled to face his adversary, bending backwards to once again avoid a kick to the face before actually flipping backwards and hopping away from the demon, eventually skidding to a halt a few feet away.

“Oh dear...my clothes are in tatters once more...” he sighed. That comment alone assured me he would perfectly fine, but my itch to beat Grelle remained, “I had hoped that mending the shoulders would help, but...this tailcoat is beyond redemption.”

“Do you really think now is the best time to be worrying about your attire…” I growled, mostly to myself; but I was still smirking. It was so very like him. And judging from his slight chuckled afterwards, I had no doubt he heard me.

“Worrying about your outfit at a time like this is very cheeky of you,” Grelle huffed, sounding more annoyed about something else, “and you keep aiming for my beautiful face, you devil…,” There it was, “perhaps your wounds were not deep enough? But I do love a man who cares about the way he looks...Sebastian Darling!” he mused, readying his weapon once more. Sebastian soon released a heavy sigh, the sounds of clothes rustling soon resounding in my ears, and I had to refrain from slapping my forehead.

“I did not want to use this approach, but...I fear I have no other choice,” he grumbled. I knew exactly what he planned to do.

“Tee-hee...so you’ve finally made up your mind to fight me seriously?” Grelle cooed, taking his stance, “how about we bring this show to a close with the next attack...Sebastian Darling! Let us bid this world farewell...and be united in the next, okay?” he giggled, soon lunging forward once more, “ _ **Sebastian Darling!!**_ ” I was unable to clearly see what happened next, but the sound of Grelle’s engine suddenly cutting short was telltale enough. I knew precisely what that coat was made of, and that it was now firmly entrapped in the Reaper’s blade.

“...Eh?” he mumbled, staring down at the weapon before giving an experimental tug, which quickly grew in strength with his confusion, “... _ **WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!? IT STOPPED MOVING!!?**_ ” he screeched, still attempting to remove the material.

“If the cutting edge of your Death Scythe is dependent upon its revolution, it occurred to me that I only needed to keep it from doing so,” Sebastian mused, watching Grelle’s futile attempts.

“I’ll get rid of this right away--!!” the Reaper growled, still tugging with all his might to remove the coat.

“That tailcoat is tailored from top quality wool!” I suddenly called out, feeling my smirk grow wider. Maybe now I could actually throw some punches.

“Precisely,” Sebastian agreed with a hum, “and the frictional force of wool is significant. Once caught, removing it will be no simple matter.”

“ _WHAT THE HELL!!?_ ” Grelle snapped, still not realizing his pulling was meaningless.

“As it is supplied by the manor, I had wished to avoid employing my coat at all costs, but...there was simply no way around it,” he sighed, brushing his hair away from his face.

“It was practically all rags, anyway!” I snapped at him, finally managing to stand up straighter without the use of the wall.

“Your own uniform isn’t much better, dear,” he called back, making me laugh. I could hear the smirk in his voice clear as a bell.

“Better condition than yours, as of late!” I answered. He only hummed in response before returning his attention to a now very scared Reaper.

“ _The Death Scythe that can cut through anything. That is, if one can actually wield it...right?_ ” he mused, beginning to make his way closer to Grelle, of whom had given up by this point, “Now...Mister Grelle...you can no longer utilise your Death Scythe, can you?” he cooed.

“Ah...Aah…!” Grelle whimpered, backing away from the male.

“ _If we simply make this a battle of fists...I do have some confidence I can win,_ ” Sebastian started, cracking his knuckles before grabbing onto the male’s hair, “however...I have already promised pummeling rights to my dear mate, so...Cassandra, I believe this is now yours,” he chuckled, tossing the Reaper over the edge of the roof and letting him plummet down to where I stood. I was already busying myself with cracking my own knuckles, but my expression was exceedingly darker than Sebastian’s.

“Seeing as how you know who I am, I am sure you know just what I’m capable of…” I purred, stalking closer as he tried scooting away from me.

“Ah...H--! Hey, wait...D…” he whimpered, backing into a wall, “ _Just not the faaaace! **GYAAAAAAAAAH!!**_ ”

* * *

“...Whew!” I sighed, wiping the hair from my forehead before stepping away from an utterly beaten Grelle Sutcliffe. He was a bloody and broken and bruised mess when I was finally done with him.

“Ah...ah won’t hurrrget diiiish…” the Reaper groaned out through his swollen lips and bloody nose.

“I should have expected a physical assault not to kill you…” I sighed, a small pout forming on my face. I glanced behind me as Sebastian’s hand fell to my shoulder, taken aback for a moment when his lips pressed to my cheek, but I looked when he held up Grelle’s discarded scythe.

“What if you were to use this?” the demon hummed, making my grin spread back to my face. I chuckled, patting his arm before stepping back and gesturing him to proceed.

“I shall let you do the honors, dear one. I spent my aggression enough for his rude comments towards myself and to you,” I purred, stretching my arms over my head, “besides, my back still hurts from the knife to my heart. That does take some time to heal you know...”

“Well, don’t mind if I do,” Sebastian murmured, beginning to make his way towards the fallen Reaper, “since the death scythe can _make mincemeat of anything_...it follows that I would be able to make mincemeat of you as well, no?” he called, tearing out the remains of his coat with minimal effort.

“Wh-what are you think--! Hold it…! GYAH!” he screamed, his words interrupted as Sebastian stomped on his face.

“I do not enjoy being stepped on, but being the one doing the stepping is another story altogether,” the demon chuckled, grinding his heel against Grelle’s face and pushing it further against the ground, “your wails have a rather tuneful ring to them.”

“Sebas...agyaaaaaah!”

“As a reward... _I shall send you to the next life...with the help of your favorite toy,_ ” he said, the engine of the scythe revving to life once again.

“Plea--! Please, Sebastian Darl...stooop!” Grelle wailed, his breaths wheezing out in between his words.

“I think not,” I called, still stretching out my arms and body. Having not done that much violence for awhile, I was feeling a bit stiff. Sebastian’s grin widened as he poised the blade over his head, glaring down at the defeated male.

“ _S...St...STOOOOOP!!_ ” he screamed, not able to move away as his own weapon was used against him, the blade swinging ever closer towards his neck for a beheading. The loud clang of metal-on-metal rang in my ears to the point of near pain, making me slap my hands over them to block out the noise. All three of us were surprised by what happened, following the line of the other weapon to the source; another Grim Reaper, though this one look far more professional than Grelle. Certainly plenty more serious about his job.

“Please pardon the interruption,” he called calmly, his voice a neutral tone but plenty clear. The clicking of his weapon as it retracted soon echoed before he stood straight with...apparently a pruner, at its normal length by his side, “ _I...am William T. Spears from the management division of the Grim Reaper dispatch. I have come to claim that Reaper,_ ” he explained simply, and I had to flinch away from his piercing gaze. Unlike Grelle, I’m sure he knew exactly who I was with just a glance.

“Will!” the Reaper in question suddenly exclaimed in joyous relief, managing to push himself onto his hands and knees, “William! You came to rescue…” his words were quickly interrupted by the other jumping from the roof to land square on the back of Grelle’s head, effectively crushing his face back into the cobblestone, “meee…”

“Dispatch member Grelle Sutcliff,” William started, us three only watching in dumbfounded silence, “you are guilty of having violated our ordinances. First, by killing those not on the list of the dead,” and with that started a kick to the face, “second, by using a Death Scythe without a submitting an application for said use,” another two kicks and a stomp back to the ground, “we will have you return to headquarters right away and have you submit a written apology and report,” he ordered, now dragging Grelle by his hair, an easy task given the length.

“Listen!! I was just about to get killed, you hear!? You’re so cold--”

“ _Quiet,_ ” William ordered sharply, stopping the other’s speech by flipping him over and slamming him back into the ground by his hair. Releasing him, he quickly turned towards Sebastian and myself, bowing deeply at the waist in apology.

“I apologize for all the trouble that thing has caused you,” he started, lowering his head before remembering something of apparent importance, his head quickly whipping to the inside of his jacket and whipping back out with a small white card in his hands, “ah. My card,” he added simply, placing the piece of paper in Sebastian’s hand.

“I...see...” the demon mumbled, taking the card somewhat hesitantly.

“Really...having to bow to a noxious beast like...oh?” William started up, interrupting himself when his eyes fell on me. His own soon widened behind his glasses, and apparently my silent pleas for him to keep his damn mouth shut went either ignored or unnoticed, “your majesty...! I did not realize your father had allowed you passage to the surface,” he quickly mumbled out, standing up straight only to bow again. I slapped a hand on my forehead before moving around Sebastian and ignoring a very confused Ciel.

“For the love of...stand up straight!” I snapped, William doing just so. He may have hated demons, but I was the King of Hell’s daughter. He definitely knew what would happen was I not given some respect, “ _that one_ was until now unaware because you had to open your damn mouth! This is going to be a joy to explain later…” I hissed, tempted to punch William.

“Again, I deeply apologize, your highness…” the Reaper said once again, finally earning him a thump to the head.

“I suggest you keep a closer watch on your underlings,” I growled, my eyes starting to glow bright red, “and watch your tongue the next time you think to insult my mate,” I warned, clicking my claws together and watching the Death God pale.

“Your...I see…” he murmured, scowling again as his gaze flickered back to Sebastian, “then mind my tongue when I say how bowing to that beast is an affront to all Reapers…” he grumbled. Sebastian quickly covered my fist with his hand to keep me from beating a second Reaper to a bloody pulp.

“As you know, humans are easily tempted,” the male chuckled, opting to curl his arm around my waist to keep me still, “when they are poised on the edge of hellish despair, and a spider’s thread of salvation presents itself, they will invariably grasp it... _no matter the manner of human._ ”

“Taking advantage of that, you devils seduce humans and live by leaching off of them, isn’t that right?” William countered, his cold glare settling back on Sebastian’s face as he adjusted his glasses.

“Heh. I do not deny that,” Sebastian answered, closing his eyes as he smirked, “though it would seem seduction works just as well on devils,” he added, pulling me closer for a moment and nuzzling my hair affectionately. I had to admit, he was right about that particular comment. Took him almost three years but it still worked.

“Though as a collared pet dog...I suppose you’re somewhat better than a mad dog with no sense of fidelity, hm?” William mused, glancing briefly over at a glaring Ciel, “you highness, I suggest you keep a tight grip upon him as well. Who knows what sort of trouble he could cause otherwise…”

“I can guarantee any trouble he causes I will be right by his side helping him bring it about,” I growled, bristling at the male demon still being called a dog.

“Duly noted...alright. It’s time we returned, Grelle Sutcliff,” he huffed, once more reaching to grab Grelle’s hair and drag him away, “good grief...we’re understaffed to begin with...and now I shan’t be able to clock out on time yet again thanks to you,” he muttered to himself, ignoring the rest of us as he dragged his underling away. Sebastian watched for a moment before raising the chainsaw and flinging it toward the back of William’s head. The Reaper caught it with ease between two fingers, completely unphased by the malevolent action. The two males glared at each other for a moment before the demon smiled politely, head tilting to the side.

“ _...You forgot something_ ,” he cooed, the Reaper only adjusting his glasses, face expressionless.

“--Cheers... _Now...if you will excuse us..._ ” he added, bidding us three adieu before vanishing in the darkness of the alleyway with the flame haired and completely out cold Grelle. Sebastian and I both released a sigh of partial relief at their absence, before we turned to our master, still kneeling beside his dead aunt.

“Forgive us, sir. We failed to capture the remaining culprit,” Sebastian called, rubbing at the wound on his shoulder as he approached the silent child.

“...Let it go,” he answered, casting his gaze downwards, “just...let it go,” he sighed. He didn’t notice either of us as we moved closer, me bending down to his level and lightly brushing my fingers over his cheek.

“You have become terribly chilled,” I murmured, a small frown tugging on my face, “let us return to the townhouse at once. And I shall prepare that hot milk for you as promised, alright?” I cooed, smiling softly at him while stroking his hair from his face. He glanced slightly at my hand before closing his eyes and shifting to rise to his feet.  
“...Yes. Very well,” he finally responded, pushing up on his knees to straighten himself out once on his feet. He immediately swayed off balance, and Sebastian moved quickly to catch him.

“Young Master!” the demon exclaimed, his eyes wide in shock. My own grew wide when the younger of the two slapped the elder away, a cold glare once more on his face.

“Young--.” I started, moving to rise to my own feet and see what was wrong.

“Don’t,” he interrupted, gaze once more turning downwards, “I’m alright. I can stand on my own,” he muttered, his gaze growing saddened as cerulean hues fell upon his lost relative, grievance clear in his expression, “I’m...just...a bit tired…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAH I AM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE FFFFFFFF  
> I stayed up till 1 last night working on it. But I had work today so I couldn't finish until I actually got home tonight.  
> But at least it's up! And hopefully the final chapter of the Jack the Ripper arc will come out soon!


	15. The End of All Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last gala of Madam Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso!

The trip back to the townhouse was a dead silence. The case was over with an unexpected casualty, one no one cared to bring up. Ciel remained silent even as we gave him the promised milk and sent him to bed, making sure he wouldn’t fall ill from being stuck so long in the cold and rain. I retreated to our room first, staring at myself in the mirror for a long moment before sighing and turning away, beginning to remove my makeshift disguise. I had only just loosened the knot on the front of my corset when I was suddenly spun around and pressed against the wall. I couldn’t even manage a proper protest before Sebastian’s lips were pressed roughly over mine, a growl already humming through his chest. His hands remained gripping tightly on my shoulders, keeping me in place as he kissed me almost desperately. Confused by the unusual action, I pushed on his chest to break the contact, staring up at his face in concern. His eyes were twin glowing jewels in the otherwise dark room.

“What’s wrong…?” I asked carefully, raising a hand to gently hold his face. One of his hands immediately moved to grasp at mine, holding it against his cheek.

“I thought I would lose you…” he mumbled, turning his head to kiss my palm. I couldn’t help but chuckle, though it was half hearted.

“You know that blow wouldn’t have killed me. I’ll be fine in a day,” I chided, shaking my head slowly. He still sighed in what I registered to be relief, his body leaning closer again to press his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes for a moment, but a small chuckle caught my attention, and I pulled back to look up at his grinning face.

“I think I should feel more relieved you finally accepted me as your mate,” he chided himself, making a blush start to spread across my face. I was silent for a moment, gnawing on my bottom lip before grabbing the front of his shirt and dragging him down, pressing my lips against his. It was brief, but I was pretty sure it got my message across.

“The Madam thought I’m in love with you,” I started, looking up into his wide, surprised eyes, “I don’t know if she’s right...but I thought I almost lost you too, and that terrified me. I don’t want anyone else in my life,” I confessed, no longer able to hold his gaze and opting instead to stare down at my hands. I watched Sebastian’s cover them before he tugged my hands away, letting them go after and curling his arms around my waist, a chuckle once more vibrating through his chest.

“Accepting me is enough for now,” he purred, stroking my hair, “just don’t flaunt before other men again,” he added with a growl. Now it was my turn to laugh.

“If I get a response like the last time then you can count on it,” I giggled, pulling away from him and tapping his nose, “just remember to keep in mind I am yours as much as you are mine.” He sighed at that, bending to place a kiss on my neck before letting me go so I could change. Even then we barely kept our hands off each other, to the point I had given up on putting on a nightdress. Every touch made was gentle but possessive, as if neither of us could ever get enough of the other. That night I slept better than I had in days; with my mate by my side the entire time.

* * *

The church bells chimed loudly as people adorned in mourning attire gathered in the building. Three children played just outside the fence, unsure of what was happening and seemingly uncaring of the festivities. The youngest boy, however, paused upon hearing the church bells, looking up at the building behind them.

“Big bruvver!”

“Hm?” the older of the two responded, looking over his shoulder at the boy.

“There sure are lots of people at the church over there, huh?” the younger commented, watching the mourners gather inside, “why?”

“Dunno,” the elder huffed out with a small shrug.

“Big bruvver is big, but he doesn’t know? Are you a dummy?” the younger suddenly puffed out, the youngest - a girl - echoing the question on the eldest intelligence.

“ _Wha--!? I’m only twelve, so I don’t hafta know!_ ” he barked back, bristling at the unintended insult.

“Yes, quite right,” a voice suddenly interrupted, making all three turn in shock to find Undertaker had suddenly appeared leaning on the fence, “ _it makes peeeerfect sense for a **child** to not know,_ ” he cackled, effectively terrifying all three children, who now stood trembling in fear, “you see, today...they are holding a certain Noblewoman’s gala,” he started with a nonchalant shrug, still grinning broadly.

“Gala…?” the oldest hesitantly asked, clearly fearful of the answer.  
“Yes,” Undertaker cooed, grinning down at the tinier individuals, “the last, grandest ceremony of her life. _Her funeral..._ ”

* * *

The inside of the church was awash in black attire. Lizzie approached the open casket, a large white lily in her hands as she wept.

“Auntie An…” she muttered, placing the flower along with the other taking the role of a bed for Angelina’s corpse. She looked nothing of the Madam Red everyone knew; her hair remained the same, but her attire was a simple, crisp white gown, so contrary to her vibrant reds she so adored. Sniffling, the young girl barely registered the sound of the doors opening, only realizing something was amiss as whispers began to buzz about the funeral goers. Whipping around the blonde saw her fiance standing in the wide open doorway, a bright red gown draped over his shoulder, and a beautiful rose pinned to his breast pocket. Sebastian and I stood by the doors, a veil concealing my face while the male held Ciel’s top hat. All three of our faces were expressionless as the crowd continued their murmuring, curious to what was happening.

“Ciel…!” Lizzie exclaimed, eyes wide as she watched Ciel leisurely make his way further inside. The whispers increased with each row he passed until he came to a halt before An’s coffin, staring down at her lifeless form for but a moment. With a flourish, he removed the dress from his shoulder and placed it over the corpse, a small smirk appearing on his face.

“--White flowers...and plain clothes...do not befit you,” he started, sitting on the pedestal and leaning over his aunt, “what suits you best...is passionate red. The color of lycoris that blazes the earth... _Aunt An,_ ” he sighed, still smiling to himself as he removed the rose from his pocket and tucked it behind her ear, leaning down to press his forehead to hers. Everyone stared in stunned silence at the spectacle until a gust of wind blew through the open doors, carrying with it bright red rose petals. Sebastian and I had moved to stand beside the carriage full of them, faces still unreadable as we were joined by Undertaker. My arm was hidden by my side, perfectly concealing my hand clasped with Sebastian’s own. The young Earl rose from his position as the rose petals flooded the room and spotted the white lilies in Angelina’s coffin, his smile faded entirely as his said his final goodbyes.

“ _\--Goodnight...Madam Red._ ”

* * *

The sun was beginning to set by the time the funeral was over, the earl with his demonic aid by his side, the two temporarily joined by Lau, his expression vacant of his lazy grin.

“You are not reporting the true identity of Jack the Ripper to the Queen?” the Asian man asked, his gaze downcast with ours upon the freshly placed grave.

“...There is no need to do so…” Ciel started, face emotionless as he turned his gaze skyward, “as Jack the Ripper is no longer in London.”

“And thus...do you become further mired in the mud,” Lau suddenly sighed, catching Ciel’s attention and confusion, “even if you reach a place from whence you cannot return...you will never utter an unsightly scream or or beg for help in front of anybody. You proud...Hound of the Queen. I shall be careful myself to avoid falling into my Lord’s ‘care’,” he chuckled, the lazy smirk back on his face.

“The addictive nature of opium is becoming a problem,” Ciel warned, adjusting his hat, “it is but a matter of time before it becomes regulated in Great Britain. And if that happens, the opium dens you Chinamen are operating will have to be shut down.”

“Then I will come up with another business,” Lau countered with a light chuckle, “I am still interested in this country. And in you as well...My Lord,” he added, slowly starting to make his way closer towards the youngest of the men there. When he was close enough, he clapped a hand onto his shoulder and leaned down to whisper into his ear, “I expect you will continue...to amuse me.” And on that note, he stood straight and made to make his exit.

“Sebastian. We have some place to be. Come,” Ciel ordered, beginning to make his own exit before something Lau said caught his attention; namely the attention of his servant.

“By the by, give my regards to your tiger of a maid. I look forward to seeing her again _very_ soon,” he cooed, making the demon’s eyes narrow in annoyance. Ciel only scoffed in answer, turning away from the two and wandering away from the gravesite.

“Where has Cassandra gone, anyway…” he mumbled, the comment more to himself as he searched the graveyard.

* * *

“For the love of Satan, it took you long enough, little kit!” Undertaker barked out, slapping his knee as he held himself up by his shovel, and effectively causing my blush to grow far worse than before.

“You really are like a woman with gossip…” I grumbled, gnawing on the inside of my cheek. Perhaps telling him my...I suppose progress with Sebastian wasn’t the best idea, but I needed to tell someone. Even thinking about it was making me--

“Just look at the smile on your face~! You are completely smitten with him~~!” he hollered, now holding his stomach as he continued laughing. I immediately smothered the look by covering my face with my hands, my blushing growing impossibly hot. Managing to calm even a little, I released a weary sigh and looked over at a still grinning Undertaker.

“Oooh, I can’t wait to tell all this to your father. Been awhile since I saw that one~ He should be pleased to know how our little kit is doing,” he snickered, quickly ducking before I could land a solid blow to the top of his head.

“Don’t you dare breathe a word of this to him!” I snapped, the blush flaring back to life on my face before I grabbed the front of his robes, “do you have any idea how nervous I was to tell him about my even finding a mate and wanting to go topside? He’ll tear his own kingdom apart if he finds out what I’ve been up to!” I hissed, even starting to shake the man in my grip, who only started cackling away.

“Good thing he has those spies of his or you would never have breathed a word yourself~~” he teased, wiggling his fingers at me. I could have seriously strangled him then and there. Telling my father alone was embarrassing, never mind having someone else do it. The sound of footsteps quickly caught my attention, and I looked over to see Ciel and Sebastian approaching. Whipping my head back around, I glared at the Reaper, making him promise not to say anything to anyone or I really would have his head before letting him go and readjusting my veil, tucking a loose strand neatly behind my ear and making my attire presentable once more.

“Undertaker. Are you done?” Ciel called as he moved closer towards us, barely managing to hide his shock that I was there already. My mate was slightly less successful.

“Of course. I cleaned her up and buried her,” the white haired man answered, gesturing to the grave I had previously been walking on, “see?” he cooed. The gravemarker had been labeled simply; “Mary Jane Kelly”. No date of birth, no date of death, simply her name. Sebastian’s eyes were wide in shock at the sight.

“ _My last client from the Jack the Ripper incident,_ ” Undertaker continued, moving to stand next to me, propping one arm on my shoulder and using his other hand to balance the shovel in his palm.

“It seems she was an immigrant from overseas,” Ciel started, his gaze fixed on the grave, “we could not find a soul to claim her body.”

“And so the kind Earl built a grave for the nameless whooore! Hee-hee-hee!” the Reaper chortled, moving to stand behind Ciel, his hands falling to his shoulders with one moving to poke the boy’s cheek, much to his chagrin.

“I am not kind,” the Earl grumbled in answer, gaze shifting temporarily towards Undertaker before going back to the grave, “...I... _knew. I knew that I would not be able to save this woman,_ ” he started, a hand running through his hair and letting the slicked back strands fall back into proper place, “if I had only thought of her life first...there were any number of ways to rescue her that night. But I did not _attempt any of them._ I knew she could have been rescued...but my first priority was to capture Jack the Ripper. _I knew_...that I would not save her life. I knew...and I let her die. Just as I let my own flesh and blood die.” A wind tore through as Ciel came to his conclusion, Undertaker opting to speak first, his grin gone but his head tilted in curiosity.

“...Do you regret it?” he asked.

“No. Jack the Ripper is no more,” the young master responded curtly, “the pall cast on Queen Victoria has been lifted.”

“Queen Victoria, hm? Can’t say I like her onnnne bit!” Undertaker huffed out, a look of annoyance on his face, “She only looks on from afar, and makes the earl handle aaaaall the touch dirty work.”

“That is the fate of our family. It has been handed down for generations together with this ring.”

“That ring is practically a collar, hmm?” the white haired man cooed, once more putting his hands on Ciel’s shoulders and bending close to his ear, “it binds you to the Queen through the chains of fate.”

“The one who decided to put that collar around this neck...was I,” Ciel snapped, wrenching himself from the mortician’s hold and whirling around to face him. He was taken by surprise when the man suddenly grabbed his necktie, hauling him up slightly towards the much taller of the two, even as he bent to Ciel’s new height, smirking down at him as his free hand curled a finger under the boy’s chin.

“I pray you do not hang yourself with it someday,” the man chortled, his smirk growing to a wicked grin, “ _I would find that gravely disappointing._ Feel free to visit me,” he cooed as an afterthought, releasing the young Lord and turning to leave, “Milord, Master Butler, and Madam Maid are welcome anytime. Hee! Hee…!” he giggled, wiggling his fingers over his shoulder as he waved. He paused when he reached me though, pausing for a moment before his hand raised to curl his fingers around a loose lock of my crimson hair, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it softly. Not only did it confuse the hell out of me at the unusually intimate action from someone I considered a friend, I could already feel Sebastian’s tempers rising, and I moved quickly to calm him down. Laughing once again, Undertaker finally took his exit, practically skipping away. Once managing to calm down the demon a little, I let him go to our master, his hands unfurling the Earl’s coat and placing it over the boy’s shoulders.

“--You truly are kind,” Sebastian mused suddenly, catching the boy off guard.

“Do not make me repeat myself,” Ciel warned, his eyes scrunching shut, “I am no such thing--”

“Oh, but you are,” the demon interrupted with a light chuckle, his hand sifting through his hair and brushing it back into place, “or would you rather... _I address you as a ‘coward’?_ ” Ciel whirled at that, his eyes snapping wide open before turning to an icy glare to his demonic servant.

“...! You bastard…” he growled, his fists clenching tightly. I took the moment to interject.

“ _Why did you not shoot?_ ” I asked calmly, earning a surprised look myself as I pushed myself up from my position against the gravemarker and made my way closer, “‘just as I let my own flesh and blood die…’? We do not approve of lying, sir. You had a pistol on your person that night. You could have simply shot her if you so desired. Instead, you hesitated. Had I not intervened, that woman would have placed that dagger in _your_ heart instead of mine,” I growled, still feeling a slight twinge over that injury, “why was that? Were you afraid to kill Madam Red...by your own hand? Though you were able to send a stranger to her death...you could not do so for your kin?” I queried further, a smirk spreading wide across my face as I joined Sebastian’s side. Ciel was silent for a long moment, watching us demons before glaring at us and giving his answer.

“Because that was your job.” That took us off guard, “I did not shoot because I believed either of you would protect me, even if you died doing so. The covenant between Sebastian and I... _holds that you will assist me until I ‘achieve my objectives’...and protect my life ‘until that day comes to pass’._ It would have been a breach of contract if I’d died there,” the boy warned, turning his back on us and once more staring at the grave, “if it the Devil’s aesthetic to obey a covenant...you would have come to my rescue even if you perished in the process. A Devil possesses neither ‘beliefs’, nor ‘loyalty’. He has only his ‘aesthetic’, his philosophy. And you will protect me in its name. Therefore...you would have killed Madam Red...thus saving me the trouble of having to do it myself. Isn’t that so?”

“Then why...did you stop me?” Sebastian asked, his brows furrowing slightly as his head tilted in his confusion. I nodded in agreement, curious to his answer.

“Madam defiled the public sphere with the powers of the Underworld,” he started, “thus she must be judged in the proper place. And let’s not forget, my duty includes saving the Yard’s face as well…” He paused after that, his grip tightening briefly on his walking stick before his eyes closed, “Madam Red’s eyes held doubt when she made her attempt on my life. I felt...that she...would not be able to kill me, her kin. If one wavers at any moment, it may very well be at the cost of one’s life. Just as in chess. She hesitated and lost sight of her next move. _That is all. So I will not hesitate,_ ” he concluded, brusquely turning on his heel and walking past us both. I was unsure of the demon by my side, but a shiver managed to snake down my spine at Ciel’s words, how seriously he took his vengeance. I glanced over to see Sebastian’s eyes wide as he watched his Master walk away, a smirk soon spreading across his face.

“...So it must be...The king always uses his pawns to survive. Just like you used us, your knights, and the Madam, the queen,” he started, turning fully to face the boy earl, “no matters how many corpses of his pawns pile up at the foot of his throne...he must always remain standing.” 

“...The ‘game’ is over if the king falls…” I muttered, my own smirk spreading to my face.

“I will never stop. Nor will I ever regret moving forward. So…” Ciel started again before he once more whirled to face us both, expression set to a serious glare as he stared us both down, “ _...I command you. Do not betray me. Always stay by my side...no matter what!_ ” he ordered, his eyes narrowing further as his gaze shifted towards me, “that goes double for you, Cassandra,” he warned. I only chuckled in response before following Sebastian’s actions and bending to one knee, placing a hand over my heart and bowing my head.

“ _\--Yes...My Lord._ ” we both spoke, keeping our heads bowed until the young boy turned on his heel once more and moved to walk away.

_If you so wish...we shall accompany you until the very end._  
Even if the throne crumbles...and the shining crown rots away.  
Even if countless bodies pile up….  
There will we remain, upon the heap of carcassess...beside the little king who lies silently... 

_**...Until we hear the final call.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look admin is posting on time!  
> And I'm even working on the next chapter! Just as an FYI, the next chapter will be smutty goodness. More of a warning to those who dislike it or are underage (but who are we kidding, we all knew it would happen again eventually--)  
> STAYED TUNED FOR NEXT SUNDAY!


	16. Explanations and Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra finally explains who she actually is to Ciel, and now both demons hold proof of their...relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the Kuroshitsujii series belong to Yana Toboso!

“So…” Ciel started, leaning back in his office chair as he stared me down, his showing eye narrowed on my face, “now that things have cooled, I demand to know your exact situation and what that other Reaper meant…”

The events had long since been over, and upon returning to the manor, the building was almost in ruins all over again. I was already shifting nervously about facing this particular conversation, but I wasn’t expecting it to pop up so soon upon our return. I wasn’t even expecting to face this alone. Letting out a small sigh, I shifted my hands from in front of me to sit down, placing my hands in my lap. There was a lot to explain, might as well sit down for it.

“What Sebastian told you when we first met was true,” I started, tugging a hand through my hair and pushing it back from my face, “we made our own contract where I would become his mate, and in return he would take me to the surface, namely this world,” I paused at the look the boy gave me, his lips practically begging to twitch into a smirk, which in turn made me glare, “hey, I was in that place for hundreds of years. Call it cabin fever but I wanted out,” I grumbled.

“Just keep talking,” he huffed, waving his hand for me to keep going.

“Anyway…” I mumbled, fidgeting with my hands, “the reason William referred to me as he did was because...I’m Lucifer’s daughter. Not his only child, mind you, but his only daughter nonetheless.” That seemed to shock him. His showing eye was now bugging at me in amazement, “Being the daughter to the King of Hell really isn’t that fun, trust me. And with three older brothers to boot? Never fun.”

“I’m not going to get a surprise visit from one of these siblings of yours, am I?” Ciel grumbled, his eye narrowing again. I couldn’t help but laugh. Though, we already did have one drop by...not that I would willingly bring that up.

“Unlikely. One is...under lockdown for the time. As for the others, if they happen to drop by they know enough to warn me in some way. I doubt they would only come to deliver souls for me anyway. Since I am uncontracted, I have a harder time keeping energy up compared to being in Hell.”

“Still...I never expected my other servant to have such a role. I can assume you possess quite the bit of power yourself…” the boy mused. I knew precisely what he was suggesting, and I had to snicker again.

“You can relax. Sebastian has his contract with you, and I don’t plan on betraying that. What you have stated prior is just as true; I am bound to you through him, though for me your orders might not be quite so absolute. I shall follow them nonetheless, but for my mate’s sake. Not yours,” I warned, narrowing my eyes on him myself. He stared back for a moment before nodding his head and leaning back in his seat again, waving at me to leave the room and go back to my business as “maid”.

“Just report to me if any of your brothers show their face around here. I don’t need anymore of you running around. Those idiots are enough trouble as it is; your uncontracted family members would be a bad mix,” he warned. Grinning, I nodded and rose to my feet, brushing out my skirts and moving to make my exit.

The rest of the day passed with the usual activities. I helped manage the manor - mostly by cleaning up after the idiots running around - while Sebastian fixed up everything that had been destroyed during our time away from the place. Luncheon and dinner were made, far more easily with the others on “probation”, and Before I knew it, it had reached evening. I made my way to our bedroom first while Sebastian put Ciel to bed, feeling completely drained. I didn’t hear him come in, but I knew he was there.

“How is it that those three can be so utterly exhausting…” I groaned, falling face first onto the mattress and hugging one of the pillows. Sebastian only chuckled in answer, the sound of him removing his tie ringing in my ears before he sat down next to me.

“They can be rather exhausting, yes, but at least neither of us have to handle it alone,” he chuckled, patting my lower back, “I’m curious to how your conversation with the young master went though. I can assume he now knows who you are?” he continued, fingers stroking over my spine. I shivered before pushing his hand away and rolling onto my back to sit up.

“He is aware. At least of my position in Hell’s hierarchy. Our names and that of my family are still unknown, and he respects at least that much,” I sighed, leaning my head on his shoulder and placing my hand in his. His thumb smoothed over the back of my hand before his grip tightened.

“And what of Undertaker’s actions…” he mumbled, his voice already holding a slight growl, “I shouldn’t be worried should I…?” That took me by surprise. I lifted my head to stare at him with wide eyes before I just started laughing. He didn’t seem to appreciate the action, judging from how quickly he had me pinned. I was still laughing after that though.

“T-trust me, you have nothing to worry about with him,” I managed to get out between giggles, “what he did took me by surprise too, but there’s nothing going on. Although…” I smirked, tilting my head and looking away from his face in thought, “when he actually moves his hair aside he is rather attractive…” I mused. That clearly wasn’t appreciated either when the demon started growling at me. Still giggling, I managed to get my hand out of his grip and curl it around the back of his head, pulling his head down and pressing my lips to his. His eyes were wide for a moment, his growls ceasing before changing to a far different tone, his now free arm curling around my waist. The kiss lasted until we both needed air, our breaths ragged as we stared at each other. My hand moved to hold his face as I smiled sweetly at him, my thumb stroking under his eye.

“I’ve told you already not to worry. We belong to one another,” I chided, tapping his nose. A grin spread to his face as he moved close again, lips hovering over mine.

“Care to prove it?” he purred, fingers once again stroking over my spine and making me gasp. Grinning, I yanked his head down again, a soft hum on my lips as they pressed back against the male demon’s. His tongue immediately began to prod, seeking entrance of which I gave instantly. He released my other hand, allowing me to let my hands wander down his shoulders and chest, feeling the growls building there vibrate under my fingertips. I could feel his own hands start wandering, one curling under my knee and dragging my leg to hitch around his waist, fingers sliding back up over my stockings until they pressed into my rear. Breaking the kiss with a gasp, I was left panting as he shifted his attention to removing my uniform, the hand on my ass shifting upwards over my hip. The ties to my apron were quickly undone, the material tossed aside before he focussed on my dress. Our actions almost felt rushed as I shifted to help him, moving to his own remaining attire once my dress was loose enough. My fingers almost fumbled over his buttons as I undid them, fingers spanning over his bared chest and pushing him up until I sat on his lap. Once my dress was up and over my head my mouth sought his again, curling one of my hands over his shoulder while the other gripped onto his hair, the contact between us turning rough and needy.

I pushed his shirt off his shoulders once it was unbuttoned, shivering at the feel of his fingers dancing over my back and pulling away my corset. I couldn’t help the small whine as he palmed my breast, his lips moving away from mine and brushing down my neck and collar, his teeth following as they dragged further down towards where his hand was. I couldn’t stop my claws from digging into his back as his tongue and teeth teased my nipple, having to clamp my teeth to my lip to control my voice as he sucked the bud into his mouth with a sharp pull. My arms curled around his head as he pulled my hips up from his lap, the hand not fondling my breast busying with removing the last of my undergarments. Well, at least my panties. The material had already been soaked through from his kisses and teasing. The fact my knees were hugging his hips seemed to be the issue at hand, and before I could protest he had sliced through the waistband, my small cry of protest cut off by his mouth covering mine again. I was the one to break the contact again at the first touch to my nethers, my arms curling around his shoulders again as my hips twitched.

My head bent to hide my face against his neck, forehead pressed against to his skin as I put whatever remaining focus I had left on keeping my voice down. One finger delved past my folds easily enough, a second joining quickly and pressing against all the right places. A low growl built in my chest before it changed to a slight purr. Much to his confusion, I pushed his hand away and pushed him down flat with a grin. My hands splayed over his bare chest, gaze locking with his as I smoothed them downwards, relishing in his slight shivers. My lips soon followed, both coming to a stop at the waistband of his trousers. Glancing back up at his face, I couldn’t help but smirk at the combination of lust and confusion on his face and in his eyes, drawing my own away again as I pulled apart the buckle of his belt and tugged down the zipper, shivering at the growl that suddenly burst from the male. They only increased in volume as I exposed him and held him in the palm of my hand, gliding my thumb over the tip and watching his face for his reaction. His eyes had narrowed to thin slits, jaw visibly clenched, and his fingers were starting to dig into the mattress. Giggling, I shifted my hold and bent my head down, tasting him for myself for once. My hand on his hip felt his immediate tension before his growling grew louder again, but I was busy focused on the task at hand. Moaning softly, I started to take him into my mouth, managing to only swirl my tongue around his length once before I was pushed off, my eyes growing wide in shock as I was suddenly pinned down.

“You are making it rather difficult to maintain self control,” Sebastian half growled, his eyes glowing brightly into my own. Giggling, I curled my leg around his waist, pressing my heel to his backside and pushing his now rock hard length against my sex.

“Felt like I should return the favor for all the times you’ve teased me in such a manner,” I purred, looping my arms around his neck. His lips twitched into a smirk before pressing roughly against mine, his hips drawing back for a moment before thrusting hard into me, causing me to let out a sharp gasp and my back to arch like a pulled bow. He immediately set into a fast and hard rhythm, his face pressing against my neck. His soon shifted his posture, keeping one hand tightly gripping my hip while the other kept him sitting up and supporting his weight on the headboard. I removed my arms from around his neck when he sat up, claws dragging repeatedly over his back, my teeth clamping down hard enough on my bottom lip to make it bleed just to keep my voice down as the pleasure grew higher and higher.

My eyes snapped wide open as something in me snapped, my magic spiraling out from my claws as they dragged over the top of the male’s buttocks, causing him to hiss sharply in shock. Whatever I had done made him pause, his eyes wide on my face before he pulled out long enough to flip me onto my hands and knees. He thrust back inside of me hard and fast, and I was relieved that the pillows were there to muffle my loud cries. Him pulling out had drawn me away from teetering on the edge of my release, but each push of his hips pushed me right back to the edge. The air made my skin tingle as it teemed with electricity, and I barely registered it as Sebastian’s own magic flaring to life before his touch burned across my back ribs. Despite the noticeable pain, all I could feel was pleasure, enough to make me finally fall over the edge and seek my release. His teeth clamped down onto my shoulder, making me cry out again and crash into an immediate second orgasm, the feel of the male spilling his seed inside of me causing me to shudder.

Both of us were panting as we finished, Sebastian waiting until he caught his breath before pulling out of me and making my body shake again. He fell onto his back, pulling me onto his chest after. I looked up with blurry eyes when I felt his on me, my brows furrowing in question when I found him practically beaming at me. He only chuckled in answer, rolling us on our sides and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“We have much to prepare tomorrow. You should get some sleep,” he purred. I reeled back at that, a small frown tugging on my face as I swatted his shoulder.

“Oh no you don’t,” I huffed, my brows furrowing again, “you’re not getting out that easy. What are you grinning so much for?” He blinked at that, silent for a moment before chuckling and pulling me close again, nuzzling my hair affectionately before placing soft kisses over my face.

“You branded me,” he started, sitting up for a moment to remove his disheveled trousers and my stockings and shoes, “we’ve only just accepted each other as mates, but it was enough for the branding to work,” he explained as he lay back down, taking my hand and placing it where I had scratched him prior. The skin there was raised, but already I knew it would look like tiger stripes. I immediately pulled my hand away and felt over my ribs until my fingers brushed my raised and still tender skin, tracing out the shape of a feather. I looked back up at his face to find a devious smirk there.

“Interesting place for you to mark me. Though, I suppose it can be easily hidden,” he hummed. My face flared scarlet as I smacked his shoulder again, hiding my face against his chest. His silent laughter shook the bed as he curled his arms around me, face nuzzling back against my hair. It wasn’t long until my eyes began to droop, my arm sliding from his grip to drape over his side, and I fell asleep with my fingers dusting the mark I had given him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT YOU FILTHY FILTHY SINNERS  
> because i had to type it out twice  
> because google docs decided to be a dICK and not save it the first time


	17. Birthday Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected visit from Ciel's aunt leads to a much happier circumstance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso!

“--ster. Young Master. _Young Master._ ” Both Sebastian and I called the next morning repeatedly when the child refused to wake up, his brows furrowed as he was caught in what appeared to be a nightmare. Something his mind was conjuring up made his eyes snap wide open, and I watched Sebastian’s eyes grow wide in slight shock when the child withdrew the gun beneath his pillow and aimed it right between the demon’s eyes, his face and body covered in a cold sweat. The room was silent as the two stared at each other, and Ciel’s grip on the revolver began to shake.

“ _Do not--! Touch me--!_ ” he finally gasped out, hands shaking violently. Sighing softly, I moved around the bed and toward the trolly cart, a small grin spreading across my face.

“For today’s morning tea, we have prepared Assam with plenty of milk,” I started, lifting one of the tea cups and filling it with the warm drink, the male demon soon coming to my side to retrieve it.

“The milk will serve to relax you. It will calm you down,” he explained, moving back to our master’s bedside and extending the tea, “especially after a bad dream.” Ciel’s eyes remained wide on us throughout, finally managing to release a heavy and weary sigh as he managed to relax and set his gun aside, taking the assam from Sebastian and taking a long sip. Something caught my eye on the bed, and I moved over to pick up what seemed to be the cause of the child’s fright.

“Heh. It is all because you read Poe before going to bed,” I chided, setting the book in a more proper place and dusting off my much more proper uniform. From what was planned today, I figured my off-the-shoulder apparel would NOT be the best outfit choice. I was even wearing proper stockings and petticoats, my hair pinned back in a tight bun. Even my bangs were tucked neatly back.

“I do as I please,” Ciel huffed afterwards, taking another sip of tea, “what of today’s schedule?”

“Today you must review the documents sent from headquarters,” Sebastian started, “and in the afternoon, the Marchioness of Midford and Lady Elizabeth will be visiting.”

“ _DAMN!!_ ” Ciel suddenly exclaimed, quickly handing over the empty cup and jumping out of bed.

“And young master’s--”

“ _Begin preparations right away!_ ” the boy interrupted before Sebastian could continue. I only shook my head when the demon gave the younger male a confused expression.

“You do not need to hurry so. The Marchioness will be here this afternoon--” he started, only to be interrupted again.

“Fool!!” Ciel snapped, not seeming to care I was still in the room as he whipped off his night shirt, “ _we’re talking about Aunt Francis here!!_ ”

* * *

It was in no time at all that a carriage pulled up at the front steps of Phantomhive manor, the Marchioness in question stepping out with her ever stern expression, her daughter Elizabeth hopping out with her own usual radiant smile. Ciel looked a haggard, whilst Sebastian and I stood behind him, a knowing smirk unable to be kept from my face.

“It has been awhile since I saw you last, Marchioness of Midford…” the boy grimaced, his smile looking forced, “you have arrived earlier than expected today as well…”

“Spare me the formalities,” the strict blonde huffed, her eyes narrowing upon her nephew, “you look as if you’ve just risen, Earl Phantomhive.”

“No, I-- _GUEH!_ ”

“Gosssh! Ciel’s cute even when he has just woken up!” Elizabeth gushed as she near tackled her fiance, arms wrapping tightly around him.

“You’re choking me…” the boy groaned.

“Elizabeth!!” The Marchioness barked, making the girl flinch, “ _do not behave so rudely before you’ve even greeted him._ I have always told you that a lady must observe the proprieties even when she’s at her mother’s family home…”  
“I’m sorry, mother!!” the girl squeaked, reluctantly letting the boy go. The elder woman’s attention shifted as Sebastian approached her, a polite smile on his face.

“It has been awhile since we saw you last,” he started, placing a hand over his heart and bowing his head in respect, “welcome, Marchioness and Lady Elizabeth. You have traveled a great distance--” he stopped midsentence as the woman’s inspection of his face made her glare worsen as she moved closer, the male even starting to shrink away from her intense gaze.

“Ah...erm...Might there be something on my fa--”

“ _You look lecherous!!_ Per usual…” the woman huffed, her gaze narrowing further as Sebastian’s eyes went wide in shock. I had to swallow back my laughter, though the effort made me start shaking; apparently the same was happening to our master.

“I am afraid I was born this way--”

“ _Moreover!_ ” she interrupted again, taking the demon by complete shock as she lunged forward and grabbed his bangs, pulling them taut above his head, “both you and your master are sporting long bangs, though you’re both male. How unseemly! You need to learn a thing or two from Tanaka there!” she scolded. And thus began the miniature makeover for both my mate and master, all the while I was still holding in my giggles. When it was over, it was clear their scalps were in pain, but I did enjoy Sebastian’s hair slicked back the way it was. It suited him.

“I apologise for troubling you...aunt Francis…” Ciel muttered when the torture was over, his grimace once again present on his face.

“Hmph! Indeed,” she huffed in response. I figured it best to make my greetings to the woman, who seemed rather pleased to see me; though not how I kept my fellow servant, “Cassandra. A pleasure to see someone who maintains their proper appearance.”

“A pleasure to see you again, madam,” I cooed, shifting my skirts and curtsying to her. She had told me once before that we were similar; strong women in a male dominated society were a necessity, and we both seemed to fit the bill in her opinion. Her calmer expression soon turned back to a slight glare after a moment, causing my own confusion before she moved closer for a hushed whisper.

“My daughter tells me you and that lecherous butler are engaged?” she hissed, making my face flush and causing her glare to worsen, “I do hope there is nothing scandalous occurring…”

“There is not,” I whispered back with a calm smile, “we have been together since before going under the young master’s employ, though at that time it was very recent. We are married, and not under any scandalous circumstances, I assure you,” I explained. It seemed to calm the woman down, since she leaned away and straightened out her attire before once again addressing her nephew.

“I drop in on you, and you’re still a layabout,” she scolded, arms folding over her chest, “not to mention your butler looks ever the degenerate!”

“Degenerate…” the butler mumbled, his complexion paling. I couldn’t help giggling at that.

“On this day of days, your reformation begins! Nothing will escape my notice, is that clear!!?” she ordered, extending her arm and pointing at the duo, “we’ll start with the manor! A disorderly home reflects a distracted mind!!”

“Then I shall guide you,” the butler suddenly volunteered, regaining his composure and stepping forward, but pausing when Ciel tugged on his sleeve.

“H--hey…!” he hissed, eye narrowing on the male who only secretively held a finger to his lips.

“Leave it to me. I made certain everything was perfect yesterday,” he whispered back, moving to lead the strict woman around the manor, “I will first show you the inner courtyard. This year, the winter roses we ordered from Germany are quite lovel--” he was stopped mid-sentence as he opened the door and was met with the garden completely destroyed, Finnian humming to himself and chirping about the amount of flowers. Sebastian could only look on for a moment before slamming the doors shut so the Marchioness wouldn’t see what was happening.

“ _My mistake,_ ” he stated once turning to the blonde, a beaming smile on his face as he lead her in a different direction, “I wanted to show you the living room first.”

“Something was wrong…” Ciel and I mumbled, my smirk from earlier faltering as we followed along with the women and butler.

“Why? Now that we’re here we can begin with the inner courtyard--” Francis started, quickly getting cut off by Sebastian.

“ _The living room, I insist,_ ” he pressed a bit too forcibly, “I made a simple mistake, really! The “party dress” Christmas roses and the winter roses from Germany are at their best now, but we would like you to see them around noon when they all bloom, so please, come to the living room...we will be able to show you the beautiful view there. The living room was just revamped the other day,” he explained, once again coming to a stop at the door and opening it just enough to see what was happening inside for himself, “we ordered a most handsomely patterned wallpaper from France--” he cut himself off at witnessing Meyrin destroying yet another tea set, and screaming at her newest blunder. Once more before the Marchioness could see, Sebastian slammed the doors shut, and turned to face her with a beaming smile.

“ _My mistake,_ ” he repeated, leading us all quickly away, Ciel growing more nervous than prior, “why do you not take tea in the conservatory?”

“Why? We came to look at the living room,” Francis huffed, her eyes narrowing again.

“ _Tea, I insist,_ ” the butler pressed, “right this way! You ladies must be exhausted from riding in a cramped carriage for those long hours. I apologize for not realizing sooner. I cannot believe my audacity...There is space for you to relax in the conservatory, so please enjoy tea while snacking on something sweet. We just had the most exquisite oranges delivered from Spain, so perhaps a Shalimar tea from Dimbula--” his speech was cut off as a large explosion sounded from what I could only guess was the kitchens, and I had to use every ounce of will I had not to snap. Circumstance after circumstance...I was beginning to doubt we would be able to pull safely out of this one.

“Yet another mistake, was it?” Francis growled, Sebastian smile becoming forced, “you just _cannot_ make up your mind can you!!?” she snapped.

“I beg your forgiveness,” the demon finally sighed, bowing deeply at his waist towards the woman, “one such as I--”

“There was something else we wanted the Marchioness to see,” I interrupted, placing a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder as he stood straight again, “though it is no place to be guiding a lady of your stature...let us visit the stables.”

* * *

It took significantly less time to properly reach the stables, this time myself leading the way, and upon arrival I gestured to the black steed by my side, a polite smile plastered to my face.

“How do you like this, Marchioness?” I asked, raising a hand to pat the muzzle of the beast, “we sent for a horse with a magnificent bluish-black coat to serve as our master’s steed...and we have been looking forward to the day you might take a look at it, Marchioness.”

“Ohh...a fine horse, indeed,” she praised, eyes widening a tad as she stepped closer for further study, “the hip is sturdy, and it looks well. I have it!” she suddenly exclaimed, a smirk spreading to her face as she now addressed her nephew, “ _Ciel. What say we do a little hunting together?_ ” she suggested taking the boy aback.

“With you, Aunt Francis?” he asked cautiously, raising a brow at the woman.

“It will be a good opportunity to see how good a man my daughter’s fiance is. Or...is ‘hunting’ too demanding for Earl Phantomhive, who possesses a constitution more common to the fairer sex?” It was clear she was goading the lad, whose features quickly set into a look of defiance and determination.

“Very well. Sebastian, prepare for the hunt,” he ordered, causing both demons in his employ to smirk. Francis chuckled, her own determined gaze setting into place.

“The game is afoot, Ciel!”

* * *

Moments later, Sebastian and I were leading Ciel and Marchioness Midford through the forest, Elizabeth seated in front of Ciel on his horse and the male demon holding the reins to guide while I did the same for the boy’s aunt’s own steed.

“Sebastian, Cassandra,” he ordered, both of us bowing our heads before looking outwards into the thicket. Sebastian inhaled sharply through his nose, myself doing the same before we went in the proper direction for the best game.

“Does your butler and maid double as hounds?” Francis chided, a smirk spreading to her face. Ciel chuckled himself in answer.

“ _They_...are sort of like that.”

“Then we shall begin here,” Sebastian suddenly called, coming to a stop, “the rules are as follows: Maintain your territory, twenty-five metres on either side, and avoid shooting birds flying lower than the prescribed altitude...are we agreed?”

“Yes,” the two participants answered. I released Madam’s reins as she began to veer her horse in the proper area.

“The game is now underway,” I started, glancing over at Sebastian who was already checking the time on his pocket watch, “the time limit shall be three hours.”

“See you, Ciel!” Marchioness called before galloping off, Lizzie and Ciel watching for a moment before the boy turned to his betrothed with a slight scowl.

“Lizzie, get off here,” he huffed, earning a pout from the girl, “I can’t hunt otherwise.”

“Ehhhhhhh? But we finally get to spend time together!” she whined, her stubbornness when it came to her cousin once again shining through. A loud bang of gunfire caught my attention, as well as my mate’s as both our gazes flickered in the direction of the source.

“ _1-Nil,_ ” the butler announced, catching the Earl by surprise, “as expected of the Marchioness...she has already shot a bird,” he praised, a smirk coming to his face as he began to goad his own master now in place of the boy’s aunt, “it seems she will be a formidable opponent even for you, young master, hm?” he chuckled. A glare set on the younger male’s face before his shotgun flipped skyward and sounded off, the ringing barely concealing Lizzie’s scream of shock.

“ _Too bad for Aunt Francis...but I’m not very good at losing any kind of game,_ ” he hummed, smirking at his in shock cousin, “Lizzie, it’s dangerous here so stay with Sebastian and Cassandra. All right?” he half ordered as the girl was handed off to the male demon, only turning to hunt once she was safely off his horse. The three of us watched him gallop off in his designated territory before the youngest of us piped up.

“--I’m glad. Ciel seems to be feeling better,” she sighed, a relieved smile spreading across her face, “Aunt An loved Ciel best so...I was worried. I don’t want Ciel to suffer anymore. I always try to cheer him up in my own way, but...it never seems to work out. I always overdo things and make him angry,” she giggled without much heart, her brows furrowing together. I chuckled, placing my hands on her shoulders as Sebastian bowed before her.

“I am certain our master senses your kind consideration as well, my lady,” Sebastian mused, a polite smile on his face. The girl giggled in answer, her hands rising to hold onto my fingers.

“Thank you. You’re sweet, Sebastian and Cassie…” she giggled, the sounds of gunfire soon ringing through the forest and distracting all of us.

“ _5-4,_ ” I started, peeking over at Sebastian with a smirk, “it is a close contest. Let us cheer them both on, yes?”

* * *

“The Marchioness shot ten pheasants, a brace of foxes, and three rabbits for a total of fifteen points,” I listed off once the time was over, everyone already gathered at the table we had set for lunch.

“The young master shot eleven pheasants, three foxes, and one rabbit for a total of fifteen points…” my mate listed after me, both of us speaking to the little grouping afterwards.

“ _The result is a draw. Is that acceptable?_ ”

“It most certainly is not!” Francis scoffed, arms folding tight over her chest, “I prefer definitive results, one way or another!”

“How odd, Aunt Francis. It seems we agree on this point,” Ciel chuckled, his smirk quickly fading as tension crackled between them.

“Then...the tie will be broken with another round this afternoon...and now, if we may…” Sebastian suggested, opening a bottle of wine for the Marchioness.

“Fine!!” Ciel growled, still glaring at his aunt.

“No complaints here,” the woman in question huffed herself, her gaze turning downwards as she rested her head on her hand, “but I daresay, we’ve overhunted here. We’ll have to find a new location for the afternoon,” she sighed, eyes closing in thought for a moment. I only chuckled, catching her attention as she blinked open one eye to look at me.

“No need for such concerns, Marchioness. Big game still lurks on these grounds,” I chided, already at Ciel’s side to pour him his drink.

“Now that the rules have been decided, let’s eat!” Elizabeth giggled, clapping her hands together in delight at observing the food prepared, “it smells diviiiiine...eh?” she started, the crunching of leaves breaking her happy demeanor as she looked up to find an approaching bear. Everyone immediately moved to attention, Ciel shouting for his screaming fiance as he jumped up from his seat and shielded her with his own body, while the girl’s mother readied her rifle. The gunshot echoed as the growling bear’s movements and noises came to a halt, swaying for a moment before falling down dead on its front. Ciel’s gaze shifted to his aunt, her brows furrowed and her gun smoking.

“Aunt Francis…!” the boy gasped, his showing eye wide for a moment as silence overtook us all. It was broken when he chuckled, taking Lizzie by surprise, “ _16-15_. It looks like I’ve lost this game, Aunt Francis,” the boy proclaimed, making his aunt smirk before answering.

“Hmph. You’ve still got at least a decade to go before you can even think of winning against me,” she started, resting her gun on her shoulder, “however...I commend you for daring to protect my daughter...with your life... _And...I am in your debt…_ ” she finally stated, bowing deeply before the Earl, much to his surprise, “I would expect nothing less from the man who is to become my son, Lord Ciel Phantomhive. Now the game is over. Let’s head back,” she suggested with a turn on her heel. Sebastian and I were already cleaning up, even tying the biggest game to a sturdy enough branch for us to carry back.

Once everything was cleaned and put away, Sebastian and I walked somewhat ahead of Francis, leaving Ciel with his still shaken cousin to keep her calmed. I carried both the game of the Marchioness and the Earl, leaving the bear for Sebastian to handle.

“Hey,” Madam suddenly called, catching our attention and making us pause, “over here, butler and maid. You forgot this,” she huffed when reaching us, extending a piece of silver, namely a knife, in our direction.

“...Oh?” I hummed, taking the cutlery with a small laugh, “how careless of us. Forgetting a piece of precious silverware…” I chuckled, tucking it into my apron to return to its proper place when arriving home.

“Indeed. _You **forgot it** in the bear’s head,_ ” she hissed at us, our expressions growing serious, “it was you two who struck _it_ down, right? My bullets missed. With my daughter in danger, I had trouble aiming properly. I must be getting old.” she sighed with a shake of her head, her glare now settling on Sebastian, “but a butler’s duty is to save face on his master’s behalf. So why did you let me win?”

“The young master has an inordinate talent for games,” the man started, his face calm, “consequently, he seems to over-confidently believe that he ‘cannot lose’. But at times, it will be necessary for him to carry himself with humility while striving for his goal...Otherwise, he will eventually trip up, as the place for which the young master aims is not an easy one to reach.”

“Perhaps this is not our place to say this, but…” I continued, earning the Marchioness’ attention now, “we would like you to be an example for our master, Marchioness.”

“So...in other words, you two used me. Hmph!”

“We did no such thing…” Sebastian chortled, shaking his head slowly, “Our master is now but a ‘child’, yet he is also the ‘head of the family’. An ‘adult’ who will be firm with him is just what the young master needs.”

“Don’t say such proper things with that lecherous face of yours,” Marchioness huffed, making Sebastian simper.

“Do I really seem that way to you…?”

“So if done for the sake of his master, a butler’s duty includes admonishing said master by letting him get burned as necessary…?” Marchioness questioned, her attention on Sebastian before shifting towards me.

“ _As I am merely a butler_...I only did what I thought _best for_ my master. Just as Cassandra did what was best by _cleaning the mess_ without being seen,” Sebastian hummed, a grin on his face. Francis was silent for a long moment before scoffing, a smirk on her aged features.

“Hmph. You’re tricky fellows…”

* * *

Finally managing to reach the manor, the horses were set back in their proper stables before all of us trailed back to the manor. Sebastian’s head was turned as he opened the doors, but unfortunately Ciel and myself were the first to see the calamity that had become of the manor.

“As the hunt was a success, I shall do my best to--”

“Ah!” Sebastian’s words were interrupted by the three morons under the Earl’s employ, who certainly looked the worse for wear. Baldo even had a cast on his arm and leg, making me question what he could have possibly been doing beforehand.

“Welcome baaaack!” Finny hollered, throwing his hands up in excitement.

“Wh-- _What is with you lot…!?_ ” Ciel blanched, already bristling at what they looked like, nevermind what they had damaged.

“Look, look! We made this together!!” the gardener went on, ignoring the inquiry of their injuries and holding up a...very sloppily put together...I wasn’t even sure what it was. Maybe cake?

“I decorated everything with roses!” he giggled, gesturing to the crumpled flowers.

“I made donburi full up with young master’s favorites!” Baldo praised himself, a big grin on his face as he stood before his concoctions.

“I set the table. Following Mister Sebastian’s example…” Mey-rin mumbled, a shy smile on her face as she fidgeted back and forth. The Earl and us demons only stared in paled silence, not entirely sure what to make of the situation; until we could actually feel the cold glare of the Marchioness Midford on our back, our heads whipping around to see her absolutely fuming.

“Hmph. They beat me to it,” she only huffed, quickly gaining her composure and moving closer to her nephew, “ _that’s_ what I came here to say today,” she smiled, raising a hand and petting the boy’s hair, “ _happy thirteenth birthday...Ciel,_ ” she cooed, placing her hands on his shoulders before turning her attentions to the servants of the house, “and everyone...I hope you will continue taking care of both my daughter and my son.” The Earl looked around at everyone smiling and gathered, and soon a confused but actual smile spread to the boy’s face.

“ _Thank you...so much,_ ” he finally answered, the three injured staff and his fiance crowding around him. Francis pulled away, now moving towards us and choosing once again to speak frankly.

“Sebastian, Cassandra, you both have my gratitude for attending to us today,” she thanked, both of us bowing to her with a polite “yes, my lady” in answer, “There’s just one thing I thought I ought to mention,” she continued, taking us both by surprise as she winked at us, “take good care of that shattered china, the ruined garden, and the burnt kitchen,” she chuckled. Of course she knew about everything; the madam was not dull.

“Yes, my lady,” we answered with a light laugh. We stood back as the grouping gathered once more, the chef chanting something about drinking before they began in idle chatter. I watched on until I felt I stood alone, my head turning to find Sebastian vanishing through the doors. Brows furrowing, I followed after him to the kitchens, leaning against the doorway as he retrieved something from the cupboards.

“Alas…” he sighed, setting down the birthday cake we had worked on and mussing his hair back to its original place, “I suppose we shall not be needing _this._ Goodness...human creatures really are difficult to understand,” he huffed, removing one of his gloves and dragging his fingers through the frosting top hat, “to think they consider _something like this_ …” Just as he brought his hand to his lips to lick away the sweet, I moved behind him, snatching his hand and licking away the icing myself.

“Indeed…” I hummed, licking my lips as my eyes shifted up to his wide-eyed face, “how do they think that could possibly be delicious? Now really,” I purred, grinning up at the male. He remained silent for a long moment before grinning back at me. His arm curled around my waist and hefted me onto the counter, my arms immediately draping around his shoulders.

“I can think of a few good uses…” he purred softly, his head bending to my throat. Giggling, I raised my hand to weave through his hair, my gaze drifting towards the window to see white flakes beginning to drift down…

* * *

_In London…_

“--It’s cold. Agni, what is this?” an Indian man in expensive garb asked, hand outstretched in the air and watching the snow collect on his tanned palm.

“It is known as ‘snow’, and falls in Great Britain during the winter...my prince,” another man answered softly.

“Snow…” the first speaker half whispered, continuing to watch the flakes before raising his hand and removing the scarf covering his purple hair, “ _Great Britain, eh…? It is rather beautiful. I want to take it back and show it to Mother.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes yes, we ALL KNOW AND WANT what sebby plans to do with that frosting--  
> filthy filthy sinners  
> it's okay i'm one too--
> 
> AND YAY I GET TO INTRODUCE AGNI AND SOMA  
> YES there will be tension between Agni and Sebby concerning Cassie  
> I can't help myself, i have been planning this out for WEEKS  
> LOOK FORWARD TO IT


	18. Introduction of a Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of the Curry Competition Arc!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso!

_Winter--_  
In Great Britain, it is an ashen season covered by thick, heavy clouds. With the Jack the Ripper case resolved, the hum of daily life returned to London.  
That peace, however, proved but a brief respite-- 

The image we were met with upon seeing past the throng of people was quite intriguing. Multiple men had been hung upside down, stripped down to their underwear, and a note was stuck to their chests.

_There occurred a curious incident in which Anglo-Indians frequenting the Hindustani coffeehouse near Portman Square were attacked, stripped, and hung upside-down from the roof. Afterward, in a rash of similar incidents, aristocrats and military personnel who had returned from India were likewise assaulted all over London. The same notice was affixed to all of the victims--_

 _“Watch this wild, pathetic child of sloth and depravity. England is the motherland of the Devil, who robs off everything and forces its worthless, rotten, and ignorant culture on you instead! To all the idiots of the bitch ruled land, you are the ones who deserve the vengeance of Heaven!”_

 _\--So it said._

The Commissioner of Scotland Yard stood with the newest note in his hands, shaking with rage as he read the same message he had seen multiple times already. His jaw clenched as he glared at the quickly wrinkling piece of paper.

“ _Another incident! This is the twentieth one!!_ ” he snapped, crumpling the paper entirely in his grip, “haven’t you been able to arrest the perpetrators yet, Abberline!!?” he hollered at the Chief Inspector, who immediately jumped to attention and saluted the Commissioner.

“Sorry, sir!!” he quickly apologized, signaling that no, the man had not yet been apprehended.

“We let Jack the Ripper slip through our fingers, and that blood brat snatched away our glory…” Randall growled, crumpling the paper further, and not noticing our approach to the scene.

“Ohh, do forgive me for being a brat,” Ciel hummed as he stepped forward, a smirk on his face that quickly vanished at Abberline’s words.

“You, boy! How did you get in here!?” he snapped, clearly unfamiliar with who the child was. Randall quickly halted the inspector’s further actions, stepping in front of him to address the young Earl.

“Earl Phantomhive...why are you here!?” he demanded, never amused when Cel took over an investigation.

“Ha! I think that should be obvious. I’ve come to clean up after the bumbling hounds,” he chuckled, snatching away the clipboard containing all the necessary information, shocking the chief inspector, “I see. Only Anglo-Indians have been targeted in this case. And there don’t appear to be any casualties as of yet.”

“Wha--! _Who gave you the right to--_ ” Lord Randall started to shout before I brandished the letter right in his face, my expression neutral while Ciel only chuckled at the elder’s shocked expression.

“I would not be here if mere bandits were to blame, but...I cannot rightly sit by as the royal family continues to be insulted,” Ciel hummed, his smirk broadening to a grin as I pulled back the letter, Randall gritting his teeth and keeping his mouth shut for now. Letting out another laugh, the boy handed me the papers, as Sebastian was otherwise occupied in preparing the London manor for our stay.

“I say, ‘child of sloth and depravity’ is a wonderfully accurate expression on the part of our culprit,” he hummed, handing off more papers, “I’d have to agree that this country would be marginally better off without the Indian Nabobs.”

_The British Indian Empire. At the time, masses of Englishmen lived in the British colony of India. The third and fourth sons of well-to-do families, who could not live in luxury in their homeland, were able to live the elegant lives of “noblemen” in India. Those who returned were called “Anglo-Indians”, and the many who were unable to shed their lifestyles of extravagance and idleness even after their return were known as “Indian Nabobs”._

“Even if they wallowed in base amusements while in India and are cowards who singlemindedly squandered their fortunes, many of them are members of the British Gentry,” the commissioner huffed out, eyes narrowed upon the Earl, “we must protect them!”

“Gentry, hm…?” the boy mumbled, sifting through the papers himself before showing me the letter and sticking his tongue out at me, “In any case...what of this mark…?” he continued, still mimicking the weirdly placed symbol. I only shrugged i answer, remaining silent. As a maid to the public eye I wasn’t to speak unless spoken to.

“They’re making a mockery of we British and Her Majesty the Queen!” Randall spat, “how dare they cock about like this…!!” he ranted on, once again crushing the notes in his grip, “The victims were all returnees from India. That means the perpetrator must be a vile Indian. Those bloody savages!!”

“Commissioner Randall, please calm down…” Abberline hushed, his attempts in vain.

“Ohhh? So that’s why I was summoned here,” Ciel hummed, the smirk back on his face, “Most of the Indians who’ve stolen their way into Great Britain are holed up in the East End. The city police seem to have trouble dealing with the underworld there. So learning the exact number of stowaways or by what routes they make it here is rather problematic, hm?” he chuckled, the commissioner once again gritting his teeth, “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll be going about my business. I’d like to return to the manor as soon as possible, you see. Cassandra, you’ve memorized the papers?” he asked, a polite smile appearing on my face.

“Yes, sir,” I answered simply, bowing my head before placing the papers in Abberline’s shocked hands and thanking him softly.

“Come along then, Cassandra,” the Earl ordered, turning sharply on his heel to leave.

“Very good, sir,” I chuckled softly, bowing to the policemen again and following after the boy. I couldn’t help smirking to myself at their words as we left.

“Commissioner Randall. Who in the world is that kid…?” the inspector asked once he thought we were out of earshot.

“Since you’ve seen for yourself, I suppose I have no choice but to fill you in...Abberline,” Randall started, voice and expression grim, “...In this country, there exists a secret agency under direct control of the Queen. _It is known as ‘Phantomhive’_. The Phantomhive Earldom has headed up this agency through the generations...and the Earls themselves have been called ‘Watchdogs of the Queen’, or the ‘Aristocrats of Evil’.”

“Why ‘evil’?” Abberline asked, clearly confused, “If he serves the royal family, are they not the same as u--”

“No. _That_ is no such simple thing,” the other interrupted, “in every civilization, there is both a ‘polite society’ and an ‘underworld’. And Great Britain is no exception. The rogue organization of Phantomhive covers up any number of criminal acts carried out by the royals and will stop at nothing to eliminate any and all who may seek to harm the royal family. By all rights, they function as the royal ‘shadow’--a ‘phantom’ which should never have come into being. The underbelly of the East End. The criminals and blackguards of other nations who congregate them. So that these undesirables do not spill out into polite society, they employ their monstrous authority to rule over and police every inch of this country’s underworld...That’s...the ‘Phantomhive earldom’ for you.”

“So basically, they’re the opposite of the police in that...they use the powers of ‘evil’ to carry out the Queen’s orders…? A slip of a child like him?”

“That there is no child. That is...the devil himself.”

* * *

“Young Master, we have arrived,” I said simply upon reaching our desired destination, the boy already holding an expression of distaste.

“--You sure this is it?” he mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the darkened stairwell.

“Yes, sir,” I hummed, taking the lead, as my eyes were better than his in the dark, “do watch your step,” I warned, holding out my hand when we reached the bottom stair so he wouldn’t trip. He instead used my arm as leverage, quickly covering his nose when I opened the door to the opium den hidden inside, his nose crinkling in disgust.

“What an awful smell…” he coughed, squinting his eyes in the candlelit and dim room.

“...So you’ve finally managed to find this place...Earl,” the usual hum of the Asian man waiting in the darkness cooed, “How strange to be facing you here like this. But I’ve...always believed this day would come.”

“ _And what sort of day would that be?_ ” the Earl growled as his eyes grew accustomed to the dimly lit room to find Lau smoking a pipe and surrounded by numerous women. I couldn’t help rolling my eyes at the sight.

“I say! Welcome, Earl! It’s been too long! And greetings to you, lovely Cassandra,” Lau chirped, moving to lean his head on his hand as most of the girls filtered away, leaving only the girl on his lap behind, “Have you been well? Ah! I heard you celebrated your birthday not long ago? Good tidings to you!”

“Nevermind that!” the boy spat, his face turning a tad pink.

“Why are you blushing…?” I mumbled, causing the crimson to worsen slightly. He quickly cleared his throat before continuing.

“There’s something I want to ask you,” he demanded, taking a step closer to the trader.

“Aah. For the Earl to go to the trouble of visiting this dank cellar of an opium den must mean you’re here...about _that_ , yes?” the elder answered, making my eyes narrow. His words seemed too familiar, given past experiences with him. Two women moved towards me holding a pipe, their words hushed as the Earl continued his conversation with the opium den leader.

“Sister, would you like some?” One girl with cloth covering the twin buns on her head offered sweetly. I smiled and held up my hand in declination, shaking my head and feeling my high pony tail swish through my coat against my back.

“I shall pass, thank you,” I answered softly. Sebastian would have some cross words if I succumbed to material things like drugs; especially since I had not partaken before, and hadn’t the foggiest on how it would affect me. The smell alone was already making me dizzy the air was so fogged with it here.

“Word’s gotten around already, has it?” The Earl huffed, my attention turning back to him, “you’ve a sharp ear. Yes, I’m looking into that series of incidents. When it comes to orientals, talking to you, the bigwig of this patch, is always the most expedient...British Branch Manager of the Chinese trading company “Kon Ron”...or should I say... _top official of the Chinese crime syndicate Qing Bang-- Lau._ ”

“I reeeally would prefer you not call me that. It’s much too stuffy and all. Isn’t it just, Ran-mao?” he purred, turning his attentions briefly to the girl on his lap, his hand holding her chin so their eyes were locked. The girl remained expressionless, but nodded her head in agreement.

“Stop puffing away and hear me out!” Ciel ordered, his eye narrowing on the pipe still in Lau’s hand, “ I’ve left the management of the oriental corner to you. So you’ve an idea of the number of people coming and going in these parts, yes?” he demanded, gaze moving back to the other’s face. Lau chuckled as he set the pipe down.

“Now now, this is just a bit of mint,” he reassured lazily, “certainly. I’m following your orders to the letter, Lord Earl. Such is the price I must pay to conduct ‘business’ in this country’s underworld, after all.”

“Then--”

“But first, I have a question to pose to you as well, my Lord,” Lau interrupted quickly, cutting off Ciel’s words and causing a look of confusion to pass over his face, “ _These incidents of which you speak...what are they exactly?_ ” he asked innocently, Ciel’s look of confusion quickly changing to that of annoyance.

“Why, you…” he growled, looking ready to kill the Asian.

“We have to take it from the top, huh?” I sighed, giving a small shrug before chuckling softly. I expected as much, “He was simply chiming in when he thought it appropriate. I am sure of that.”

It fortunately didn’t take very long for us to explain the recent string of attacks on the Anglo-Indians, this happening after we exited the opium den and to the much clearer streets. The dizziness from the drug faded quickly enough, but I would certainly not partake willingly anytime soon. Well, at least not in the middle of Sebastian’s contract…

“--Oh, noow I see!” Lau exclaimed after, a big grin on his face, “so you’d like to capture that prankster!”

“There haven’t been any deaths yet, but the gentry and military personnel are being targeted,” Ciel reiterated, once again stating the reason behind the Queen’s distress.

“Ah, you have to make an example of him to keep the common folk in line! There simply is no end to your troubles, Earl!” Lau sighed, giving a nonchalant shrug.

“What drivel,” Ciel grumbled in answer. I took the time to actually look at our surroundings, realizing something was...very off.

“Incidentally, we have walked quite a distance,” I piped up, catching both the young master’s and the gang runner’s attentions, “at which lodging house are the Indians based?” I asked. Lau seemed genuinely confused for a moment before laughing innocently and bonking his own head.

“Ah! Do forgive me! I was so caught up in our conversation that I think I may have gotten us lost! Silly me!” he giggled, Ciel instantly bristling.

“Why, yoooou--!” the youngest growled, letting out a heavy sigh and turning sharply on his heel, “then first let’s retrace our steps back, and--ow!!” Sure enough, turning so sharply without paying attention, the Earl crashed right into the scruffy man fast approaching him. From his heavy accent alone we knew he was from India.

“Par--” The Earl started, the homeless man quickly interrupting by holding his sides in “pain”.

“Owwwww!! I think I just cracked a riiiiib--!!” he hollered, almost doubling over. Ciel was immediately taken aback by the impossible accusation, and I couldn’t help rolling my eyes again from the obvious act. His shouts of agony quickly caught the attention of other, and in mere moments we were completely surrounded. A situation as this, I was thankful I at least appeared as a long haired man, my coat tailored in a more masculine style. The last thing anyone needed was an angry female demon set on a bunch of nameless humans because someone decided to get a bit too handsy. The man Ciel had bumped into lathed onto the boy’s coat, tugging him forward for a closer inspection.

“The little master’s awfully well-dressed for an East Ender. You a noble?” he accused, Ciel quickly slapping his hand away and glaring at the ragamuffin.

“ _I gotta demand damages for you banging into me, kid!! Leave everything you’ve got on ya behind, ya hear!?_ ” he shouted, extending his hand to the boy, whose brow was now twitching in annoyance.

“And once again, you have gotten yourself caught by a second-rate thug, young master,” I sighed, keeping my voice low enough for only him to hear, “How shall we deal with this?” I asked, my gaze scanning over the crowd.

“How? Just get rid of them quick,” he ordered, his voice a low hiss. I smirked, tugging slightly on my coat so it sat properly again.

“As you wish,” I answered, preparing for a fight.

“And ya know...the Indians ‘round here have it in for you nobles,” the same man growled, soon raising his voice again, “ _you dragged us all the way here, and then just threw us out like trash! The lot of you British are self-serving bastards!!_ ” he accused, his words gaining heated agreements from the fellow Indians surrounding him, “ _It’s your fault we’ve been reduced to leading lives of misery, like sewer rats!_ ” he ranted on, beginning to draw a dagger from his tattered clothes.

_“Yeah!!”_

_“You trampled our nation under your shod feet! Now taste the humiliation of being plundered yourselves!”_

_“YEAH! TASTE IT!!”_

“That aside, there’s something I should like to ask you.” A new voice interrupted, the crowd too heated to fully acknowledge it, however.

“ _Yeah! First off, I gotta ask you something!!_ ” the first added on, not entirely paying attention to what he was saying.

“If you prove useful, I’ll treat you to something delicious in reward,” the newcomer continued.

_“YEAH! SOMETHING DELICIOUS!!!”_

_“Fish!!”_

_“I was just starting to feel a bit peckish!!_ ” It was in that moment they seemed to realize they weren’t quite going with the original flow, and all their heads whipped around to silence the newcomer and correct him.

“ _DAH! That isn’t iiit!!_ ” they shouted, holding their hands up to halt any further confusion.

“Quiet down, you lot,” the man ordered. His appearance was that of an Indian, but his accent was hardly detectable, and his English was near flawless. Not to mention his attire was far neater. Ciel and myself could only look at him in slight amazement at the odd turn of events.

“I’m looking for someone,” he went on, holding up a very poorly drawn picture, “have you seen an Indian like this?” he asked, showing off the drawing. The first gasp as he dropped back to reality, now wielding the dagger on the newcomer.

“Hunh!? _Don’t interrupt us, you cur!_ ” he snapped.

“How dare you call me a cur. I am asking you a question,” the purple haired man huffed, now seeming to realize what he walked into, and peered around the scruffy Indian to see Ciel and I, “what’s going on? Are you fighting a duel?” he asked innocently, golden hues quickly narrowing on us.

“Hey, don’t igno--”

“He has a _khansama_ with him…” he interrupted the homeless man, shoving him aside to make his way closer to us, “are you...a British noble?” he demanded of us. My master’s eyes narrowing in answer before he spoke.

“And what if I am?”

“Then I shall ally with my brothers in this battle,” the man stated simply, crossing his arms over his chest before calling his companion, “ _Agni!_ ”

“Yes, your highness.” Well that was unexpected.

“ _Defeat them!_ ” the first ordered.

“ _Jo aagyaa_ ,” Agni answered, beginning to undo the wrappings on his right hand, “the right hand, with which God has blessed me...shall I wield for my master,” he seemed to pray before dashing towards me in particular. I reacted quickly enough, using my forearm to block the attack, glaring at the white haired male before grabbing the young master rather indelicately, much to his displeasure. It was necessary if we were to both dodge the incoming kick. Still, I was caught slightly off guard by this human’s speed as his attacks continued, swift enough that I was preoccupied, and forgot about the first reason this was happening.

“ _Don’t you dare forget about us!!_ ” the original accuser shouted, charging at me with his blade at the ready. I took the opportunity to duck, dodging Agni’s incoming punch, which instead landed on the far weaker attacker.

“Ah! Forgive me, brother!” the man quickly apologized over his shoulder, “I will tend to your injuries presently!” he called, reverting his attention back a now running away me. I used the others as leverage to get away, while equally knocking out those still trying to start a fight. Agni was quick to catch up, jumping into the air and landing a blow to my pressure point on my forearm. I continuously blocked the same blows before he leapt back, confusion in his gaze as he glared at me.

“I have struck your _marma_ numerous times. Normally, your arm would be paralyzed by now. So why can you still move?” he questioned, his brows furrowing. Letting out a huff of annoyance, I prepared to answer appropriately before Ciel’s struggling gave me pause.

“Let me down!” he hissed, though it went ignored, “hey! We were just passing through when those Indians picked a fight with us!” he explained hastily to the royal, “are all Indians barbarians who indiscriminately attack any Englishmen they lay their eyes on!?” he spat, taking the royal by surprise.

“What? You there! Did you attack the runt and his companion without a valid reason?” he demanded of the original crowd, all of them confused as to why they would possibly need a reason, “we can’t have that! The fool is he who wages war without cause. Agni!! _In this case, our brothers are at fault! Ally with the runt and company!_ ” he ordered of his servant, taking us all by complete shock. Ciel and I only stood in awe as they were defeated easily by the hands of this Agni fellow, the crowd quickly in a damaged heap.

“All done, Lord Soma!” he chirped when the task was completed, a pleased smile on his face.

“Good!!” Soma huffed in reply, his hands resting on his hips and expression looking...a bit bored, “hey, you two. You’re not hurt?” he questioned us as he retrieved Ciel’s fallen top hat from the ground.

“N--No…” I answered softly. The man’s eyes widened before his brows furrowed in confusion, studying my face for a long moment before slapping the hat back on my master’s head.

“Your _khansama_ has a very feminine face,” he prattled, seeming to have completely mistaken me for a man, of which I was blaming on the coat at this point, “but you, runt. A child should not be wandering in a place like this. It’s dangerous,” he rambled on, Ciel still bristling from his hat being so forcefully placed on his head, “I’m still on the hunt for someone, so I’ll be taking my leave. Farewell,” he stated simply, turning his back to us and taking his leave. His servant seemed to be studying me as well before his master made his departure, a polite smile appearing on his face before he bowed his head and followed this “Soma” fellow, showering praises on him as they exited. Ciel and I were in stunned silence long after they were gone from sight, a loud call soon catching our attentions from...above?

“Myyy--! Those two were something else!” Lau called, both of us turning to find the Asian had been hiding on a rooftop, probably the entire time.

“ _And where have you been this whole time?_ ” Ciel growled, earning an innocent laugh.

“Oh, don’t be like that! Why, I was waiting for a chance to save you, okay?” he chuckled, jumping down from his perch and landing with a light tap, “though, it would have been better for me to save the damsel in distress,” he purred, making me shiver in distaste. That seemed to be happening more frequently since Sebastian and I had marked each other... “In any case, who were they? They don’t live in the East End, that much is obvious. They were well-dressed, and their English was without a trace of an accent,” he recited, naming off the details I had found earlier. Chuckling to myself, I crouched in front of the pile of passed out Indians, looking over at the Young Master as I spoke.

“Be that as it may...I should think our first priority is to take these people to the city police…”

* * *

“We labored in vain...and now it’s begun to snow…” Ciel groaned when we finally made it back to the manor. I chuckled as I retrieved his coat, Sebastian soon greeting us, but stopping me when something caught his attention.

“Your dress is torn…” he whispered softly, keeping his voice low. I blinked at him before turning to find where it had actually ripped, finding a long tear over my ribs, the white cloth stained with blood despite there being no wound. I quickly grabbed Sebastian’s arm before his tempers could flare, getting him to look me in the eye.

“I’ll explain later. The young master and myself are fine, I promise,” I whispered back, grabbing his hand and kissing the back of it before moving to hang the coats and speak to our exhausted master.

“The culprit might be among them,” I suggested with a smile and shrug, “let us wait for Lord Randall to contact us.”

“Really! I’m tired of being summoned to London every time a silly incident like this occurs!” Ciel ranted, moving to storm off to the drawing room.

“Ha, ha! You must howl if there is even the faintest possibility of harm befalling Her Majesty!” Lau laughed, following leisurely after the frustrated child, “such is the difficult role of the Watchdog, Earl. But, I don’t mind in the least since I get to play with you!”

“Young Master! Welcome hooome!” Finnian chirped as the three idiots poked their heads around the corner. Lau seemed confused to actually see them, as it was highly unusual for them to tag along with us to London.

“You brought your servants with you this time?” he asked, gesturing to the four with a confused grin. Both Sebastian and I paled in memory of what happened last time.

“Yes. It would be troublesome to leave them behind at the manor,” the male demon mumbled, increasing the Asian’s curiosity, “Well! You must be worn out from the cold,” he went on, changing his attitude as he addressed Ciel, “I will have tea ready right away.”

“Indeed…” the Earl sighed, further expressing his exhaustion.

“I would prefer chai to English tea,” a very familiar voice piped up, though it hadn’t seemed to register to Ciel yet.

“Indeed...eh?” he mumbled, turning around to see the two we had encountered earlier standing in the doorway. He immediately started sputtering, completely unsure of how they had managed to get in unnoticed in the first place.

“This is awfully small compared to my palace…” Soma muttered as he waltzed further inside, Agni following close behind.

“Wh--! Wh--!? _Why are you here!?_ ” the little Lord snapped, bristling up entirely.

“What do you mean, why? We became acquainted but a moment ago. Have you forgotten me already?” the royal stated bluntly, expression going blank.

“Became acquainted you say…” I mumbled, narrowing my eyes on him.

“And I rescued you,” he went on innocently, making me bristle right along with the Earl.

“Res--! How!?” the boy demanded. The other fours servants of Phantomhive looked on in confusion, not entirely sure what was happening, and Sebastian was quickly becoming equally confused.

“In India, it is commonplace to invite your benefactors into your home and make them welcome,” Soma stated, crossing his arms over his chest again, “There’s a saying that goes ‘entertain your guests, even if you have to sell of your heirlooms’. Hey, where’s the bed?” he suddenly asked, whipping his head around in search of the furniture.

“Why a bed?” Lau chirped in question, as confused to the odd question as we were.

“In my country, one invites one’s guests to one’s bed to sit together in a circle, enjoying each other’s company,” the royal answered just as bluntly as earlier.

“Does this have any part of your explanation later?” Sebastian whispered to me. I only nodded in answer. That seemed to appease him for now.

“ _Myyyyyy priiince!_ ” the servant suddenly called, already leaning over the staircase railing and waving to his master, “Loooord Somaaaa! There is one heeeere!!”

“That is well.”

“Hey!! Listen to me!!” Ciel shouted, going completely ignored.

“Then, good. It is a tad small, but we shall stay here for awhile. Much obliged,” the royal went on, following his servant up the stairs to the room he mentioned having a large enough bed.

“ _Wait a minute!! Why must I take care of you all of a sudden!?_ ” the youngest demanded, dashing after the two Indians and skidding to a halt in the hallway in front of the open door. Sebastian were quickly on his heels, I more curious to what would happen.

“I haven’t given any thought to other lodgings,” Soma answered as he flopped onto the mattress, removing his outer robes and revealing the far more extravagant attire beneath, “besides, is it custom for Englishmen to throw their benefactors out into the cold?” He had Ciel there. Most English nobles, despite the women spreading vicious rumors, were quite polite as a whole. It was obvious he had stumped the lord by Ciel’s poor change of topic.

“ _\--! Moreover! Just who are you!?_ ” he instead demanded, covering his flustered reaction with more anger as the Indian rolled about on the mattress.

“Me? I am a prince,” Soma answered as he came to a stop, lying on his stomach with his arms folded and head resting on them, grinning over at the Earl.

“A prince…?” Sebastian questioned softly, both of us looking briefly at each other before back at the Indian men.

“ _This gentleman is the twenty-sixth child of the Raja of Bengal...Prince Soma Asman Kadar,_ ” Agni formally introduced his master.

“We shall be imposing on you for a bit...runt,” the prince chuckled, the Earl visibly growing more angered by the insult to his height. Something seemed to catch the prince’s attention when his eyes fell on me, confusion warping his features before he jumped up from the bed and stood before me. My eyes were wide as he studied me head to toe, unsure how to properly react as he circled around me. Coming to a stop again, he was silent for a long moment before his hand lashed upwards. My eyes went impossibly wide when he flat out groped my chest. Sebastian’s anger quickly became palpable, and I had to resist the urge to just kill the human who would dare touch me in such a manner.

“Ah! So you are a woman!” he exclaimed, acting as though I had lied to him. I scrambled away from him, sputtering out insults, “I was wondering how a _khansama_ could be so feminine!”

“Eh!? A woman!?” the prince’s servant exclaimed, his face paling as he realized I had held my own against him earlier, though it appeared he was more fearful he had tried to harm me. He bowed his head repeatedly as he sputtered out apologies. Meanwhile I was trying to both keep Sebastian tearing apart the prince while trying to keep myself from ripping him to shreds, which was far more difficult than one would think.

“I am so sorry!! Had I known you were a woman…!” Agni sputtered on, growing more and more flustered. The three servants were already occupied with fawning over Soma, despite what he had just done.

“Amaziiiiiing! So you’re reeeeally a priiince--!?” Finny gasped, eyes sparkling in excitement.

“Hey, Finny, he just--” I started, only to be interrupted.

“A-a prince…” Mey-rin sighed, holding her face as she blushed.

“First time I’ve seen a real prince in the flesh,” Baldo mumbled, eyeing the young royal, who was already lounging back on the bed.

“You may approach,” he purred, smirking at the three as they started to bombard him with questions.

“Well, my Lord,” Lau suddenly chimed, making the Earl break his last nerve, “Your stay should be a lively one.” Ciel’s next order were my exact sentiments, despite my inability to voice them, being a maid in the public eye--

“ _ **GET OOOOUT!!”**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Just in time!  
> I know, weaker start, but it was being difficult getting this chapter out. I had to give Soma an excuse to be a bratty prince, so grope the maid it is!  
> See you next Sunday!


	19. Annoyance After Annoyance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work is proving...difficult with the current guests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso!

I couldn’t stop the loud groan of exhaustion as I finally collapsed onto my temporary bed, immediately rolling onto my stomach and smothering my face in the nearest pillow. After getting unnecessarily groped by our uninvited guest, the three idiot servants would not shut up about him and how “exotic” he was, especially Mey-rin. A touch to the bare spot on my ribs made me jump, and I looked up to see Sebastian looking at me through narrowed eyes. Apparently his tempers were still flaring at the intimate touch to something of his. Sighing, I raised my hand to his cheek, smoothing my thumb over it before sitting up fully and stretching my arms over my head.

“I’m going to find some thread to mend this. Can’t have my uniform in shambles so often,” I hummed, smiling softly at him. It seemed to calm him a little, but he still didn’t let me leave the room without kissing me; repeatedly. Finally managing to close the door, I shook my head slowly with a soft chuckle, beginning to make my way to the room that would hopefully contain what I was after. Finding the laundry room easily in the dark, I made sure no one was inside or within the area before ducking into the room, removing the torn uniform and sitting down on the available seat in just my undergarments. Waving a hand, a single candle flared to life, allowing me to find the proper threads and needle before setting to working. The sound of the door followed by a startled gasp had me whipping my head up in surprise, my eyes equally as wide as the grey one staring at me. I quickly sobered as Agni fell to a flustered and stuttering mess, continuing on with the repairs and ignoring the Indian on the opposite side of the room, his back towards me.

“What is it you needed, Mister agni?” I asked softly, watching him stiffen.

“M-my apologies, b-but I had seen the tear in your dress earlier…” he stammered out, keeping his back towards me, “I wished to repay you as apology for not realizing you were a woman before fighting you in such a manner…” he mumbled afterwards, his hand rising to rub the back of his darkening neck. I chuckled silently, focussing back on my task and tugging the material back on once it was properly mended. I tapped his shoulder to get his attention, unable to keep from smirking as his head whipped around and show the bright red of his blush against his caramel colored skin.

“That simply won’t do, Mister Agni. You and your master are guests in this household. Beside, I was not as careful as I should have been, but my master thus remains safe,” I hummed, my smirk changing to a polite smile. He remained standing still in shock even as I bid him a good night and returned to my room.

* * *

Morning had arrived far sooner than I would have preferred, especially with the unexpected amount of people now in the estate, but I still managed to rouse myself from slumber and half drag myself after Sebastian to the kitchens and prepare the young master’s morning tea and breakfast. It was the usual humdrum of the early morning until a loud shout alerted to something incredibly amiss. Glancing briefly at Sebastian, who didn’t appear to notice it, we continued preparing the tea and making our way to Ciel’s bedroom, the demon male knocking once before entering.

“Pardon me, young--” his greeting was interrupted upon seeing a struggling Ciel in the arms of one of our houseguests, Agni in the process of holding a carefree smile and hefting the boy from bed and making his way to the door, ranting about breakfast.

“Now just hang on! What the hell!?” the boy shouted, shoving at the butler’s head.

“Oh? Things are already lively at this hour?” Lau’s voice piped up from around the corner, his head soon following as his usual smile was plastered to his face, “Ah, good morning to you Sebastian and Miss Cassie,” he cooed, sending a shiver down my spine in discomfort.

“Mister Sebaastiaaaaan!! Miss Cassandraaaaa!!” Three voices all screamed at once before the owners appeared barreling down the hall. I was already dreading what they were to say at such an hour.

“You three, you are in the presence of our guests,” Sebastian scolded, scowling at the three fumbling humans.

“What is it? Has something happened again--” I started, only to be interrupted by all three as they stumbled over their words.

“S--something’ wrong!”

“Really, really wrong! The garden, it’s--!”

“Crazy wrong! The food, it’s--!”

“Wrong, it is!! The laundry, it’s--!”

“Wrong…?” we demons questioned at the same time.Immediately they began to drag us all about the estate, leaving Ciel, unfortunately, at the mercy of Agni. The laundry was already hanging outside, the gardens were in pristine shape, and the morning meal had already been prepared and sat steaming on the dining table. Sebastian and I could only look at it all in utter shock.

“What in heaven…?” I breathed, unable to keep from staring at the scenes before me.

“Ah! I have taken the liberty of handling the morning chores!” Agni chimed suddenly, his hand shooting up into the air to get our attention. I frowned at him as I approached.

“As you may recall from the night previous, I told you were a guest! You should not have done all this!” I half scolded, my brows furrowing together.

“We insist you merely make yourself at home!” Sebastian pressed. I knew already he would be asking about what I meant by my words later.

“I could never!” The guest butler gasped, holding his hands to stop us from continuing. I could already see a blush forming on his face as he remembered last night, “my prince aside, I...am merely a butler, so...I felt it my duty to help Mister Sebastian, as well as work for forgiveness for my actions towards Miss Cassandra,” he finished, finally smiling brightly at us. I had to admit, I was immensely moved, and it appeared my mate felt the same.

“Mister Agni…” we mumbled, staring at him in awe before turning to glare at the three less useful people of the house. A polite smile soon spread across Sebastian’s face.

“Why do you three not kowtow and beg Mister Agni for the dirt under his nails? Your lives might gain a little value that way,” he insulted in the form of suggestion. All three were silent for a moment before suddenly pouncing on the guest, grabbing at his hands.

“Gimme the dirt under your nails, dirt!!”

“Me tooooo!”

“Me three!”

“Eeh!? What is going on!?” Agni shouted, attempting to get away. The smile had faded from us demons as we made a hasty retreat, moving to the dining room to our awaiting master.

* * *

“...So?” The boy started, an annoyed look on his face as he glared across the table at our guests, “ _how long do you intend to stay here?_ ” he demanded as Soma ate somewhat sloppily with his hands, Agni busy with serving him tea.

“We’ll leave when we’ve finished our errand,” he answered simply around his french toast, the words muffled because of it.

“That--”

“You mean the person you were looking for before, right?” Lau interrupted Ciel, his usual expression directed at the royal.

“And why are you staying over as w--”

“Yes. I’m in search of a certain woman,” Soma interrupted this time, rummaging through his robes until he pulled out the paper he had shown the previous day of the poorly drawn...apparently woman, “this one. Her name is Mina, and she was a servant in my palace,” he explained as he handed Ciel the paper, munching on more of his toast.

“This is…” Ciel mumbled, not entirely sure what to make of it. None of us were.

“I drew it. You’ll know right away when you see her because I drew her so well! Isn’t she pretty?” Soma ranted on around the last of his food.

“Sebastian...Cassandra...will either of you be able to seek her out with this…?” Ciel mumbled, looking over his shoulder at us. Both of us were staring intently at the drawing, trying to find how it, in any possible way, resemble a person...

“Even for us this is a bit...erm…” I grumbled, brows furrowing in confusion and partial annoyance.

“...Well, we shall try…” Sebastian whispered himself, the drawing being snatched away from Ciel by the Asian for his own inspection.

“Ooooh...I myself have never encountered a beauty like this, I saaay!” Lau gushed. I was unsure if he was being serious or mocking the prince’s terrible skills.

“To be expected! She was the most beautiful woman in my palace,” Soma answered simply, clapping his hands together and giving his thanks for the meal.

“...So, why is that woman in Great Britain?” the Earl asked, turning his attention away from the drawing and to the guest, who seemed to be...I didn’t even know what. Praying? “ _Listen to me!!!_ ” he snapped, though their prayer went on anyway, “what are they doing, all of a sudden? Where did they get that statue from!?” he went on, though lowered his voice a tad. His annoyance was still present in his tone.

“They seem to be praying, but their object of worship seems quite surreal,” Lau mumbled.

“You would call that an object of worship?” I huffed, both Sebastian and myself scrutinizing the bizarre item.

“It seems _nothing so much as a statue of a woman dancing in a frenzy on the abdomen of a man whilst carrying severed heads and wearing a necklace of said heads_...to me…” Sebastian mused. I had to resist smacking my forehead as he described precisely what we all saw, for seemingly no reason at all.

“This is the statue of the goddess Kali, a deity of hinduism, our faith,” Agni explained, allowing his master to continue praying in peace.

“So it is an Indian god,” I huffed, smacking my fist in my palm as an “ah-ha” action. The name did seem familiar, thinking about it...Maybe this Kali had been visiting my father at some point?

“Our goddess Kali is the wife of the god Shiva and the goddess of strength. She protects against misfortunes. There are also other divine favors,” Agni continued, his polite expression remaining on his face, “In ancient times, a devil dared to challenge the goddess in a battle. Of course, the goddess Kali was victorious. However, she could not stop raging...and continued to destroy and kill,” he told, holding a hand over his heart as he described the apparently dramatic event, “She kept on killing, made a necklace of severed heads, drank blood…”

“It sounds as if the goddess caused more harm than the devil. Truly amazing,” Lau interrupted with a light laugh, Ciel, Sebastian, and myself listening in half awe, half dumbfoundedness.

“Even the gods could not stop the goddess Kali, and the Earth was about to fall to ruin, when...at that very moment--!! _Her husband, the god Shiva, lay down at her feet to protect the land._ ” he finally proclaimed, putting far too much enthusiasm in the conclusion. Sebastian mimicked my earlier “ah-ha” actions.

“Aah! That is why she is stepping on him. I had assumed they were simply having a lover’s quarrel,” he chuckled.

“Her husband was very slow to act,” I sighed, shaking my head slowly.

“Wasn’t he too late? In a whole number of ways?” Ciel huffed out in half confusion.

“When she stepped on her husband with her unclean foot, the goddess Kali returned to her senses and peace returned to the land. Therefore, the goddess Kali is a supreme deity who engaged in mortal combat to defeat the devil,” he explained further, once again clapping his hands together as though in prayer, “that is why she holds the severed head of the devil.”

“...So that’s the story,” Ciel mumbled, glancing at his demon servants. Sebastian and I were already scowling at such an idea.

“I was not aware such a strong goddess existed…” I whispered, crossing my arms over my chest.

“We will have to be careful should we ever visit India…” Sebastian followed, confusing Agni by our musings.

“Well, we’re done praying,” Soma suddenly started, rising from his kneeling position and immediately moving to drag Ciel off, “so let’s go, runt! You’ll guide us.”

“Why me!?” The Earl snapped, struggling to get loose of the hold around his neck and shoulders, “and furthermore, I am not the ‘runt’. I am Ciel…” he argued, even while being dragged off.

“Then, Ciel! I order you to guide us. Come,” The royal only huffed out in answer, holding an air of indifference at Ciel now having a name besides “runt”. Sebastian and I immediately stepped in their path, extending our hands to halt the prince’s footsteps before Ciel got too far.

“Forgive us, but…” I started, putting a polite smile on my face, the butler mirroring my actions.

“The young master has a full schedule with his studies and work today,” he continued, his head tilting slightly to the side and raising a brow at the prince, almost daring the guest to argue.

“As you can see, I’m busy. Find your quarry on your own,” Ciel scoffed in partial relief, waving the disappointed guest off as we lead him to his ten AM music lessons.

“--Now,” I coughed, clearing my throat before holding up the sheet music and placing it on the stand before the little lord, “While you are in London, we shall tutor you, in place of the lady governesses,” I explained, my attire having changed from my usual uniform for a more formal gown, the collar higher than usual, much to my current displeasure, “First, let us practice the “Partita No. 2” for solo violin,” I instructed, turning the page to the proper sheet music. Ciel was already turning pale at the sight of the difficult piece.

“Bach’s Chaconne...I won’t be able to play…such a hard piece--!” he grumbled, eyes narrowing on the notes. I chuckled, tilting up his head to make eye contact with him via use of the thin conductor’s wand in my grasp.

“You will gain confidence if you begin by mastering the difficult pieces first. I lay down the rules here, and you should know, my father being who he is, I had a strict upbringing. Naturally, I too shall be very strict. Do you have any issues with my teaching method?” I cooed, smiling sweetly at him. He grit his teeth, but nonetheless readied himself to play, “Good. Now hold the bow ready. With the key of D Minor, it is important to express solemnity and reverence with your timbre. Just like that,” I instructed, nodding my head in praise as the boy began to play, “express the timbre with emotion,” I continued, my brow twitching as something sounded off, “express anger occasionally. Yes…” Okay, something was extremely off. Something had been added to the violin, and I whipped my head around to find our guests sitting on the ground on ornate rugs and playing their own instruments; though, Lau was simply looking on as a bystander.

“Erm...and what might you be doing?” I asked, having to hold back the growl in my voice as I stared down the confused prince and butler.

“Nn? Soma mumbled, perking up at the address to his person before smiling brightly, “I thought I’d spend the day with Ciel today. I’m a dab hand at playing string instruments too,” he chirped, playing a few more notes on his bizarre instrument, Lau commenting on the drums laid out before the butler. The Earl was already shaking with rage before finally exploding.

“ _GET OUT!_ ” Ciel snapped, tossing the two outside of the room.

* * *

“Now it is time for drawing,” Sebastian said calmly, playing the role of tutor this time around, the glasses from his disguise the last time we were in London perched on the bridge of his nose, “Look at how things are balanced and give depth to your drawing,” the butler instructed. Ciel was staring intently at the still life before him, holding his pencil in front of his eye to grasp the proper sizes and shapes and copy them in a smaller form on his canvas thusly.

“What is this? Drawing a bottle is dull!” Soma suddenly piped up, making Ciel jumped and for me to look away from my own drawing; which was already mostly done, “you must draw naked women. Therefore, woman!” he hollered, thrusting his arm outward and pointing at me, making me jump, “strip!”

“Oh, shall I undress her?” Lau hummed, placing his hands on my shoulders. That action alone made me snap, and I whirled on him, slapping him clean across the face despite my social standing.

“You will do no such thing!” I snapped, Sebastian grabbing my clenched fist and keeping me from beating both Lau and Soma to a bloody pulp. Ciel was already busying himself with once again throwing the two out of the room.

“ _GET OUT!_ ”

* * *

“Samples of the Christmas products have arrived from the Yorkshire factory,” I started as we continued with our next scheduled event of the day; work. Sebastian was by my side, holding his own list of the new products.

“Nn. I had them revise this, and it feels good,” Ciel mumbled, picking up one of the stuffed rabbits and hugging it close.

“Also, headquarters has sent over the plans for next year’s goods,” Sebastian went on, flipping through the list, “The new Christmas crackers are selling well at Harrods.”

“However, children are difficult to please,” Ciel interrupted, popping one of the crackers and sending a Santa and sleigh flying, “we must keep providing new novelties.”

“And so I have invented one such new product just for you!!” Soma exclaimed as he and Agni popped up from the pile of merchandise. Lau was busy hugging the rabbit Ciel had earlier, and smaller ones remained clinging to Soma’s shoulder, Agni holding a folder labeled “Proposal”, “Feast your eyes! It is a soft toy in the likeness of the Indian god Ganesha...and…” he started dramatically, revealing the drawings the prince himself had made, “the trunk…” he paused, a grin on his face, “...it moves!” he hollered in delight, Agni pulling away the first picture to reveal the second drawing, it being the same as before, but with the elephant’s trunk raised. The Earl was shaking completely in rage, and the duo was once again removed rather forcibly from the room, and accompanied with the same shout--

“ _GET OUT!!!_ ”

* * *

“Heeeeey. When will you be done?” the prince whined, once more lying on an ornate rug as he watched Ciel continue with his next lessons; fencing, this time with Sebastian as his sparring partner, “Heeey! Heeey! What are you doooing? Heeeey, IIIIII saiiiiid,” he whined on, cupping his hands around his mouth. The little lord finally snapped.

“ _ARGH! SHUT UP!!! I can’t concentrate!!_ ” he snapped loudly. Sebastian let out a small sigh at the miniature breaking point as the earl turned angrily on the annoying prince. He had begun grating on my nerves since the music lesson, and it had only worsened with his continued antics.

“C’mon, you don’t have to get so angry,” the royal pouted, acting as though he had done nothing wrong, which only added to Ciel anger.

“All right. Enough,” he hissed, snatching the blade in his butler’s grasp and tossing it towards Soma, “I’ll take you on if you’re so desperate for attention.”

“I only know kalaripayattu and silambum, but...well, why now,” Soma hummed, having caught the blade by the handle easily and flicking it upwards, posing for the match with a cocky grin on his face, “so if I win _this_...you will play with me, right?”

“ _If you can win, that is_ ,” Ciel clarified with a glare, readying his own blade, “if you lose, behave yourself and stay out of my way! We will play five rounds of three minutes each. The fencer with the most points wins. All right?” The younger explained, glancing at Sebastian for the signal to begin. The butler raised his hand into the air.

“Now...begin!” he ordered, swinging his arm down and signaling the start of the match. Soma was the first to attack, the lord remaining right where he was as the prince charged.

“You are mine!!” he shouted in triumph, swinging the blade down and batting Ciel’s booted leg with it. He was visibly taken aback as the blade bent against the far more solid object.

“The leg is not a valid target area of the foil,” Ciel explained with a smirk, moving to attack on his own now that he had the clear advantage, “too bad!!”

“Wah! You coward! I don’t know the rules! What is a valid target area!?” the royal yelled, dodging each thrust towards his abdomen Ciel made. Both of the boy’s demonic servants couldn’t help but snicker at the lord’s follow up.

“It’s your own fault for being ignorant of the rules. A bout is a bout,” he chuckled, his smirk broadening as he made another move for Soma’s torso.

“Kuh! Aww, hell!” he snapped, clashing the blade against Ciel’s and having it bend again, “this sword bends, so it’s hard to wield!!” he complained struggling to get the foil to stay still again.

“In fencing, you thrust forward,” Ciel explained, taking his own minor role as “tutor”, “if you swing your foil sideways... _your valid target area is completely vulnerable!!_ ” he shouted, thrusting his blade forward to win the point.

“ _Prince!! Look out!!_ ”Agni suddenly shouted, rushing forward to stand in the way, taking both his master and mine by surprise. What was more, the butler struck the pressure point on Ciel’s arm, causing him to drop his blade and crumble to the ground in pain, clutching at his immobile hand and wrist. Silence immediately followed before Agni gasped in shock, dropping to his knees in a flustered mess while retrieving the fallen blade, unsure what to really do with it.

“L-Lord Ciel!! I am so sorry! I could not help it when I thought my prince would lose…!!” he gasped out, still exceedingly flustered as he looked back and forth between his hand and the foil. I was already at my master’s side with his butler, asking softly if he was all right, though he was unable to answer as his jaw was clenched in pain.

“Ah ha ha! Agni, you protected your master. I commend you!” Soma laughed, clapping his hand on his servants shoulder in praise, cocky grin back on his face, “Agni’s my _khansama._ He belongs to me. Therefore, I win!!” he boasted. He wasn’t entirely wrong… “Noooow! You must accompany me!” he ordered.

“No--!” Ciel gasped, interrupted by an indifferent Lau.

“Dear, dear,” he hummed, once more balancing his own foil on the palm of his hand before tossing it at Sebastian, “now you must avenge your Lord...Master Butler.”

“Ciel’s khansama. Are you going to fight?” Soma asked with a haughty air, cocky grin still adorning his features. The butler released a heavy sigh as he looked at Ciel.

“Goodness...all this because you were nasty to a complete amateur who does not know the rules,” he sighed, shaking his head slowly, ignoring his master’s comeback by rising to his feet, “however...my master has been injured. As butler to the Phantomhive family, I must do something about it,” he scoffed, swinging the blade downwards.

“Moreover, we have fallen ten minutes behind schedule,” I added in a growl, the Earl reeling on me now.

“That’s your real motive, isn’t it…” he seethed, his glare settling on us. I couldn’t help but smirk and add something to fuel the fire I shouldn’t even be adding to.

“Not to mention your butler attempted harm upon a lady,” I mused, lifting the Earl to his feet and leaning close enough to Sebastian where only he could hear me, “he even walked in on me in just my underclothes while I was repairing my uniform. Another man has laid eyes upon your near naked mate. Will you honor me as well?” I cooed to him. His eyes went wide as he whirled his head around to look at me in shock. Smirking at him, I couldn’t help the thrill go through me at the possessive and dangerous look that entered his gaze, even when he quickly suppressed the emotions and focussed on his current task.

“Interesting. Very well. I approve of the duel!” Soma hummed, arms crossing over his chest as his grin appeared once more. Both butlers quickly settled into the proper stancing for the match, “Agni! In the name of our goddess Kali, win this match!”

“Sebastian. I command you. Shut that brat up!” Ciel ordered himself, his glare returning to his face as the butler smirked.

_“Jo aagyaa.”_

_“Yes, my lord.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUGH  
> I AM ALIVE  
> sort of  
> later than i said i would post but it's up now!!  
> and now i am exhausted.
> 
> TO BED!!


	20. Let the Battle Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fencing competition between Agni and Sebastian is brief, but an unexpected arrival ensues...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters from the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso!

The air about the demon and human was tense as they stood across from one another. Sebastian’s lips soon twitched into a smirk as he addressed his current adversary.

“Well...pray, do go easy on me,” he hummed, shifting his stance as he readied his blade.

“Here I come!” Agni warned without much necessity, opting to make the first attack. He lunged to make a blow to Sebastian’s shoulder, the demon dodging easily and striking out towards the other butler’s ribs. Agni ducked down away from the foil, using his new stance as leverage and aiming right for Sebastian’s face, missing by only a fraction and instead piercing the air between his face and arm. He would have landed a blow to the jewel on Agni’s forehead, had the man not clashed his own blade with the demon butler’s, the loud clang that followed it echoing softly through the room. Something began to nag at the corners of my mind, but I quickly ignored it, focusing back on the match and equally suppressing the wave of thrills going through me. I knew he was doing this for our master, but he was doing it equally for the reasons I had given him. He was fighting for his mate. I could only begin to imagine how it would differ if this was a match between demons.

Their footwork changed to mirror each other, moving to make the same blow to the forehead, and missed only by mirroring again in the way they dodged, bodies bending backwards and heads rolling skyward. Steps changed again, and both attacked at the same time, and my eyes went wide in shock as the foils collided perfectly by each tip. Both of the strengths behind each blade caused them to bend until they snapped in half, each piece flying high into the air. Sebastian caught his half easily as he stood straight, a worried smile spreading across his face.

“Oh dear. The blade is broken,” he stated simply, looking down at the two pieces. Ciel inhaled a sharp gasp, my own eyes widening in shock. Fighting something like Grelle, a Reaper, or another demon was one thing...but a _human_ had held his own against a devil…

“We cannot continue then,” Agni followed up with, a small puff of air leaving him, “this match is a draw.”

“Hmm! Ciel’s khansama fared pretty well!” Soma praised, his arms folded behind his head as he made his way towards his butler. Ciel remained standing in complete shock, “Agni is the best fighter in my palace. You are the first to fight equally against Agni!” the prince continued with his praises, soon changing his stance to address the demon, “I like you! Ciel’s _khansama!_ I shall excuse you today in deference to your skills.”

“I am most honored,” Sebastian answered with a deep bow and a hand over his heart. I let out a heavy, weary sigh, disappointed this had all ended in a tie, but a loud clapping of hands caught my attention, and that of my master and the conversing butlers. Seeing the source made me mentally slap myself for not recognizing the new presence when I felt it earlier.

“Well well! My dear sister has chosen herself quite the match!” Draco praised in his human guise, perched upon the ledge above the fireplace in the room, and thankfully avoiding the expensive dishes displayed upon it. His human self was too similar to his more animalistic form, his eyes remaining the same and his white hair holding shades of green. His skin was pale, easy enough to determined the more human shade, seeing as how he was only wearing a pair of black trousers. His feet and torso were completely bare. Some sort of tribal themed dragon was stretched down the length of his left arm, and his hair was pulled back and swept over his shoulder to reach his collarbone. My eyes flashed red for a moment before I dashed forward, grabbing him by the ankle and dragging him off the ledge, despite his yelp of surprise and protest. Especially since I had slammed him face first into the ground.

“What in the hell are you doing here, brother?” I snapped, stepping on his back and digging my heel into his spine. He let out a shout before suddenly starting to laugh.

“I-I come in peace, I swear!” He laughed, slapping his hand on the marble floor, “I give, I give!” My eyes narrowed at the back of his head until a small cough caught my attention. Gasping, I looked back up at my current audience, of whom were completely stunned and horrendously confused as to what was happening and who this person was. Clearing my throat, I tugged Draco back up to his feet and bowed in apology to Ciel, whose showing eye was narrowed in confusion and anger; fortunately, mostly confusion.

“Forgive me, young master. This is one of my brothers...” I introduced as I stood straight again, pausing for him to come up with his own fake identity. He snickered, looping his arms around my shoulders and poking my cheek, much to my slight annoyance. He had a tendency to annoy me like my other brothers, but we got along the best nonetheless.

“Lukas, if you don’t mind,” he hummed, a fake pout tugging on his sharp face, “I was just so worried about how my dear sister was faring. Not to mention Father wants to make sure she’s _eating_ properly,” he pressed, glancing at me sideways. At least he had taken the hint that there were humans in the room unaware of what we were, “plus, I missed my girl here.”

“Say what you want, I can still whip you,” I grumbled, even though I was now smirking. Ciel was silent for a long moment before holding his head as though gaining a headache, his brow already twitching.

“Just...keep him out of trouble. That’s an order, Cassandra,” He hissed, glaring softly at me for a moment before Soma popped back up by his side.

“Never mind all that. Come Ciel! Let us have another round!” He laughed, slapping an arm around the boy’s shoulders and catching him entirely off guard. Draco and I remained watching as Sebastian approached, his eyes narrowed on my brother, who only smirked back at my mate.

“You can relax, crow,” he chirped, apparently knowing exactly what Sebastian was thinking, “the fox was a twit who wanted power, and our little kit here is one of the strongest women in our realm. I see her as she is; just my sister,” he reassured, his smile turning sincere as he bowed his head. The other demon visibly relaxed at that, but still kept a close proximity. Apparently my older brother’s actions made him a bit more cautious.

“Still, that human...It’s been a long time since I witnessed a human holding _that power_...” Draco continued, a small frown tugging on his face. We all turned our attention to Agni at that. My mate smirked, a small chuckle escaping him as he glanced briefly at the broken foil still in his grasp.

“Indeed…” He uttered, red eyes flowing back towards the Indian, “he has powers that _we_ can never hold…”

* * *

“You said your name was Lukas?” My master asked of my brother. We hadn’t exited the room, but Ciel had changed out of his fencing practice attire, and it was only myself, my brother, and boy in the room. The two demons in said room were busy wrestling, however, and I currently had the dragon in a sleeper hold.

“Y-yes…” he gasped out, managing to swing his leg out for leverage and use the momentum to flip me clean over him and onto my back, pinning me down afterwards, “and yes, we are siblings. I’m sure she’s mentioned her little family to you already.”

“She has, but failed to inform me of your arrival as ordered,” the Earl growled out, making me flinch before shoving my brother off and pinning him on his stomach, keeping him down by twisting his arm around his back and keeping it sharply bent.

“Not entirely my fault. I was unaware he would arrive until he made himself known,” I defended, twisting his arm further.

“Owowowow! Right, right, should have sent something, ouch. Will remember next time...” Draco hissed out through his pain. He was quick to turn the tables again though, once again slipping his leg under him and this time falling backwards, causing me to crash hard enough into the ground that the wind was knocked out of me. It didn’t help that he just continued to pin me down by sitting on me.

“Next time?” Ciel questioned with ice beginning to drip from his voice.

“Well, yes,” Draco answered before I kicked him in the temple and shoved him off, managing to get him pinned back onto his stomach and properly keeping his legs and arms both down this time.

“You are aware I am uncontracted,” I continued for my currently smothered brother, since his face was being shoved into the ground, “so Father flasks souls for me to consume so I can keep my strength up. I’m not keen on starving myself as my mate does with you,” I huffed out. Draco tapped the ground in surrender, and I let him up easily enough.

“Speaking of, I’ll give them to you later. I’m sure you dislike eating with an audience,” my brother huffed as he pushed himself into a seated position, , running a hand over his head to tousle his hair and keeping himself propped up by his other hand. I rose to my feet and brushed off my attire until it sat back in proper place, turning to Ciel as he cleared his throat.

“Is it common for demons to act in such a manner?” he grumbled, referring to the miniature wrestling match. I chuckled, shaking my head slowly before actually giving him a definitive answer.

“Not for most, but it is in my family, at least when it comes to him. Lukas prefers to fight with his fists anyway, and my being his sister means he fights me more than my other two brothers,” I explained.

“Only to make sure no stupid and weak male tried to steal you away because you were too weak yourself!” Draco argued, pushing himself to his feet and stretching his arms over his head. I only rolled my eyes at him.

“Now then, young master. I have my duties to attend to concerning dinner. Please, do wait for it in the dining room,” I said politely, bowing my head. Ciel stared at me for a moment before waving me off, his shoes clacking against the marble as he exited the room. Something made my polite smile falter, and I whipped my head around to find Draco failing to contain his snickers at my behavior. Growling, I opted to punch him on the top of the head.

“Stop that. I am in such a role for Sebastian’s sake…” I hissed, my eyes popping wide open as I remembered when we had first met Ciel; and what he had named the demon after. Grinning broadly, and knowing full well I would be paying for it later, I told him why Ciel had chosen the name Sebastian for my mate. Draco stared wide at me for a long moment before his own grin spread wide across his face, a second later doubled over from laughing so hard.

“H-his _dog!?_ His damn dog!!” he managed to shout out between laughter, palm slapping against the marble.

“You cannot let him know I told you!” I warned, a difficult task given that I had started laughing as well. I soon waved him off to control his laughter and let him explore, warning him far more seriously to stay out of trouble and keep his trap shut about our being demons, to which he gave an incredibly halfhearted assurance, before I did what I was supposed to do and continue about my duties as maid to the Phantomhive household.

Securing my apron tightly around my waist and making sure my uniform was in full order, I pushed open the kitchen doors to find something...entirely unexpected. Sebastian was no doubt in the rear kitchen fixing dinner, but all three of the idiot servants were...actually doing the job. They had yet to notice my presence there, but Agni was the first to notice me despite the fact he was rolling out dough.

“Ah! Miss Cassandra!” he called, a beaming smile spreading over his face as he gestured me to come further inside the kitchens, “you have been running around all day, please take a small break while we prepare dinner!” he beamed, moving from his station to pat the back of a chair for me to sit on. I blinked at him, keeping silent before doing as he asked. A cup of hot tea was immediately placed in front of me, making me stare in confusion before looking up to seeing Agni smiling down at me. He continued smiling until I finally reached forward and took a sip of the tea, his frame visibly relaxing before he went back to work.

“Miss Cassandra, I don’t think I have seen you eat all day. Are you hungry at all?” he asked lightly, attempting conversation.

“We haven’t seen her eat either!” Finny piped up while mashing the potatoes, a small frown tugging on his face. I shrunk back from Agni’s scrutinizing gaze, soon hiding behind my tea cup.

“I...have a delicate stomach…” I mumbled, hoping the excuse would work. It seemed to appease him enough, but now there was worry in his eyes. I was thankful Sebastian appeared from the rear kitchens at that moment, allowing me to leave my tea alone for the time.

“How are things going, Mister Agni? Are they coming along well?” he asked as he wiped off his hands, his eyes going wide at the sight before him.

“Yes! We are doing fine!” Agni chirped, his head swiveling away from me and looking at the demon male.

“Mister Sebastiaaaan!! Look, I mashed the potatoes for the pie!!” Finny called, holding up the pot with the food specified inside, a beaming and very proud smile on his childish face.

“I chopped up the onions, and now I’m doin’ the garnish! ‘Cos I’m the chef!” Baldo cackled, moving his goggles from over his head and looking exceedingly proud of himself.

“The table has already been set too, it has!” Mey-rin gushed softly, a blush beginning to dust her cheeks. A cold glare settled on my face at that; that maid would have to resolve her crush very quickly if she wanted to keep her head _and good god what am I thinking_.

“Agni wouldn’t let me do anything,” I huffed from my seated position, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms over my chest, a pout pulling on my face.

“Thanks to everyone, the food should turn out to be delicious!” Agni hummed, everyone giggling in their pride at their apparent good work. Sebastian was completely dumbstruck, not entirely sure how to respond to all this.

“Mister Sebastian?” Agni asked, snapping the butler from his observation.

“No...I am just amazed you were able to get them _to help you_ ,” the demon mumbled once he stood beside the other butler, a light laugh leaving the Indian.

“They work hard. They are good people!” he laughed, smile not once leaving his face.

“Well, they are not evil, per se…” I huffed, making a move to stand up. A pointed look from Agni made me sit back down.

“Everyone is born with a gift. Each of us has a path and a God-given duty,” he explained, bowing his head and clapping his hands together, “we children of God must simply follow the path we are set upon...and do what we have been set here to do without haste.” Now we were both staring at him in awe.

“How do I put this…” Sebastian started, his brows furrowing in thought, “Mister Agni is truly a man of _fine_ character.”

“I can’t believe a human like you actually exists…” I breathed as an afterthought, now leaning forward and propping up my head on my hand.

“Oh no, not at all!” Agni gasped, raising his hands to stop our praises, “...I was a hopeless _paagal_ until I met my prince. The debt I owe him is one I will never, ever be able to repay...My clan was brahmin, part of the highest caste, members of which were allowed to serve God. However...my father was a brahmin only in name. And I, who had grown up watching him enveloped in lust and greed, lost my faith in God,” he started. I scowled at that, knowing full well losing faith in Him was a serious offense in His eyes, “Taking advantage of my social status, I sinned day in and day out. I hurt people. I blasphemed against God. I kept sinning, and...The day finally arrived on which my sins were to be judged. Then before me, the Godless sinner...the fool with no lingering attachment to this world...the man who had thrown everything away… _God appeared. And he made me realize that the divine resided inside of this man_.

“That day, I saw the face of God radiating holy light from within my prince! As though he were Ramakrishna himself!!” he gasped out, having grown very...passionate over his storytelling. Enough so that I had ignored potential pointed stares to take care of the food.

“Mister Agni, the pot is boiling over,” I called simply, taking the large pot off of the hot burner.

“Ah, forgive me, go sit back down Miss Cassandra,” he said hurriedly, a sheepish smile spreading to his face. I pouted, but did as he asked, “I have been in my prince’s service ever since. He is both my raja and my God,” he went on, shutting off the burner before someone got injured.

“God, you say…” Sebastian mumbled, brows furrowing at the other butler.

“Thus, even if I must risk my life to do so, I want to protect my prince, who gave me this new life, and...insofar as I am able, try to grant all of his wishes,” he concluded with that beaming smile of his. I only had to glance at Sebastian before both our expressions went dark.

“Well, a lot of actual gods are good-for-nothings,” the male grumbled, eyes setting into a glare.

“Considering who my Father is, I know that better than you…” I huffed, most of my words muffled by my hand.

“Eh? Did you say something?” Agni chirped, his confused smile on his face.

“No, no. Nothing,” we both answered with a wave of dismissal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey I'm actually on time!!  
> I kind of cut this one shorter than I expected to, but only because it is an hour until midnight here, and I kind of liked how I ended it, especially with Draco/Lukas in the picture. Yes, they do wrestle as a greeting. I found the concept amusing :3  
> See you all next week!


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